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What follows are twenty-five Christmas songs about Jesus Christ*, ranging from traditional hymns and carols to modern worship songs.
Our desire is that they would set your hope on the Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas. He alone can satisfy the longings of our dark and broken world because He alone is the Light of the World, the Bread of Life, and the Savior of sinners.
Traditional Christmas Songs about Jesus Christ
1. Angels We Have Heard on High by Anonymous/Unknown (translated by James Chadwick, 1862)
Angels we have heard on high / Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply / Echoing their joyous strains.Gloria in excelsis Deo! / Gloria in excelsis Deo!
2. Angels, From the Realms of Glory by James Montgomery (1816)
Angels from the realms of glory / Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story / Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.Refrain:
Come and worship, come and worship / Worship Christ, the newborn King.
3. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus by Charles Wesley (1745)
Come, Thou long-expected Jesus / Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us / Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation / Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation / Joy of every longing heart.
4. For Unto Us a Child Is Born from The Messiah (based on Isaiah 9:6) by George Frederic Handel (1741)
For unto us a Child is born / Unto us a Son is given,
And the government shall be upon His shoulder/ And His name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God / The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace
5. Go Tell It On the Mountain by an Unknown Author (1907)
While shepherds kept their watching / O’er silent flocks by night,
Behold, throughout the heavens / There shone a holy light.Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain / Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain / That Jesus Christ is born.
6. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by an Unknown Author (18th Century)
God rest you merry, gentlemen / Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Savior / Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r /When we were gone astray.Refrain:
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy / Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
7. Good Christian Men Rejoice by an Unknown Author, translated by John M. Neale (1853)
Good Christian friends, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before Him bow;
And He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Charles Wesley (1739)
Hark! The herald angels sing / “Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild / God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise / Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
9. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear by Edmund Sears (1849)
It came upon the midnight clear / That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth / To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men / From Heav’n’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay / To hear the angels sing.
10. Joy To the World by Isaac Watts (1719)
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! / Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room / And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing / And heav’n, and heav’n, and nature sing.
11. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent paraphrased by Gerard Moultrie (1864)
Let all mortal flesh keep silence / And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded / For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth /Our full homage to demand.
12. O Come, All Ye Faithful by John F. Wade (1843)
Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant / Oh, come ye, oh, come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angelsRefrain:
Oh, come, let us adore Him, oh, come, let us adore Him / Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
13. O Come, O Come Emmanuel by an Unknown Author, translated by John M. Neale (1851)
O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here / Until the Son of God appearRefrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel / Shall come to thee, O Israel.
14. O Holy Night by Placide Cappeau (1847)
Oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices!
Oh, night divine, oh, night when Christ was born!
Oh, night divine, oh, night, oh, night divine!
15. O Little Town of Bethlehem by Phillips Brooks (1867)
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!
16. Silent Night by Joseph Mohr (1863)
Silent night, holy night! / All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child / Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace / Sleep in heavenly peace.
17. What Child Is This? by William C. Dix (1865)
What Child is this who, laid to rest / On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet / While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King / Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud / The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Contemporary & Modern Christmas Songs about Jesus Christ
18. Welcome to Our World by Chris Rice (1997)
Tears are falling, hearts are breaking / How we need to hear from God
You’ve been promised, we’ve been waiting / Welcome Holy Child / Welcome Holy ChildHope that you don’t mind our manger / How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger /Make Yourself at home / Please make Yourself at home
19. O Come, All You Unfaithful by Bob Kauflin, Lisa Clow (2020)
O come, all you unfaithful / Come, weak and unstable / Come, know you are not alone
O come, barren and waiting ones / Weary of praying, come / See what your God has doneChorus: Christ is born, Christ is born / Christ is born for you
20. In the First Light by Glad (1988)
In the first light of a new day / No one knew He had arrived
Things continued as they had been / While a new born softly cried.
But the heavens wrapped in wonder / Knew the meaning of His birth
In the weakness of a baby / They knew God had come to earth.
As His mother held him closely / It was hard to understand
That this baby not yet speaking / Was the Word of God to man.
21. To the Mystery by Michael Card (1987)
When the Father longed to show / A love He wanted us to know
He sent His only Son and so / Became a holy embryoThat is the Mystery / More than you can see
Give up on your pondering / And fall down on your knees
22. Sing We the Song of Emmanuel by Matt Bowsell and Matt Papa (2015)
Sing we the song of Emmanuel / This the Christ who was long foretold
Lo in the shadows of Bethlehem / Promise of dawn now our eyes behold
God Most High in a manger laid / Lift your voices and now proclaim
Great and glorious Love has come to us / Join now with the hosts of heaven
23. Mary, Did You Know by Mark Lowry (1984), music by Buddy Greene (1991)
Mary, did you know / that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know / that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know / that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.
24. Gather’ Round, Ye Children, Come by Andrew Peterson (2004)
Gather ’round, ye children, come / Listen to the old, old story
Of the pow’r of death undone / By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of ManGather ’round, remember now / How creation held its breath
How it let out a sigh / And it filled up the sky with the angels
Son of God, Son of Man
25. Born in Bethlehem by Third Day (2006)
Baby Jesus, born in a stable / Humble Savior’s birth
You left Your throne in Heaven above / To live here on the earth
Baby Jesus, lying in a manger / Crying for the world
The angels told the shepherds / Of the good news for us all
Hallelujah, the King is here / Given for all men
For today the holy son of God / Is born in Bethlehem
You may also enjoy: Christmas Light Shines on Humanity’s Wounds
** Disclaimer: Links to Spotify or YouTube do not carry any artist endorsement other than the original song and lyrics.
Kevin Halloran
Product Manager, Open the Bible for Leaders
Kevin serves as Product Manager for Open the Bible for Leaders. Kevin loves spending time with his wife, Jazlynn, and young daughters. In his free time, you can find him reading, writing (in English and Spanish), and serving at his church. Kevin is the author of When Prayer is a Struggle: A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer (P&R) and the free companion course Pray the Bible. Follow Kevin on Facebook and Twitter.
