DESCRIPTION:
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (also known as God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen) is an English traditional Christmas carol. The melody is in Aeolian mode. It was published by William B. Sandys in 1833, although the author is unknown. Like so many early Christmas songs, this carol was written as a direct reaction to the music of the fifteenth century church, in Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas. However, in the as-yet earliest known publication of the carol on a circa 1760 broadsheet, it is described as a "new Christmas carol," suggesting its origin is actually in the mid-18th century. It appeared again among "new carols for Christmas" in another 18th-century source, a chapbook believed to be printed between 1780-1800.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Saviour,
Was born on Christmas day . . .

To save us all from Satan's power,
When we were gone astray,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy . . .

From God our heavenly father,
A blessed Angel came,
And unto certain Shepherds,
Brought tidings of the same . . .

How, that in Bethlehem was born,
The Son of God by name,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy . . .

Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy . . .

The Shepherds at these tidings,
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a feeding,
In tempest storm and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straight way,
The blessed babe to find,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy . . .