God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen

An English traditional Christmas carol, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen was published by William B. Sandys in 1833, but the author is unknown.

Like so many early Christmas carols, it was a direct response to the church music of the 15th century. In the earliest known publication of the carol, c. 1760, it's described as a "new Christmas carol", suggesting its origin is actually mid-18th century.

Today, there's confusion over the meaning of the first line, which seems pretty archaic to our modernized ears. It's generally seen as "God rest ye merry, gentlemen", so it's not saying "merry gentlemen." "Rest" means "keep or make" with "you" as the object of "rest". Basically, the first line means, "God make you happy, gentlemen", if I interpreted it right. :)

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,

let nothing you dismay,

Remember Christ our Savior was

 born on Christmas Day;

To save us all from Satan’s power

when we were gone astray.

O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;

O tidings of comfort and joy.

In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessed 

Babe was born,

And laid within a manger upon 

this blessed morn;

The which His mother Mary did

nothing take in scorn.

Refrain

From God our heavenly Father

 a blessèd angel came;

And unto certain shepherds

 brought tidings of the same;

How that in Bethlehem was

 born the Son of God by name.

Refrain

“Fear not, then,” said the angel, 

“Let nothing you affright

This day is born a Savior 

of a pure Virgin bright,

To free all those who trust in Him

from Satan’s power and might.”

Refrain

The shepherds at those tidings

 rejoiced much in mind,

And left their flocks a-feeding

 in tempest, storm and wind,

And went to Bethl’em straightaway 

this blessed Babe to find.

Refrain

But when to Bethlehem they came

where our dear Savior lay,

They found Him in a manger

 where oxen feed on hay;

His mother Mary kneeling unto

the Lord did pray.

Refrain

Now to the Lord sing praises

all you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

 each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas 

all others doth deface.

Refrain

God bless the ruler of this house,

and send him long to reign,

And many a merry Christmas

 may live to see again;

Among your friends and kindredthat live both far and near-

That God send you a happy new year, happy new year,

And God send you a happy new year.