I originally wrote about this Christmas song Go Tell it on the Mountain back in 2015 on my weebly blog. I figured it was about time for me to write about it again. It’s a lively song, quite different than many of the traditional Christmas carols that we sing.
Lyrics
Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.
Refrain
The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed the Savior’s birth.
Refrain
Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessèd Christmas morn.
Refrain
Author and History
There is some discussion about who actually created this piece. Some scholars think John Wesley Work, Jr. wrote “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” Work was the first African-American collector of Negro spirituals. He was also a composer and scholar. It is thought he either composed it in 1907.
While other scholars think that slaves had been singing this American folk carol since at least the 1860’s. If that is the case Work could not have composed it since he was born after that.
This upbeat hymn didn’t become popular until the mid-20th century after the advent of jazz, blues and early rock.
Discipleship Ministries has posted the original lyrics.
Ponderings
One of the things I found fascinating about this hymn is how the words have changed over the years. From the original spiritual with the slave overtones, to the common verses we sing today. I’ve sung this hymn most often with the verses written above but occasionally with these verses added:
When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day.
I ask the Lord to help me,
An’ He showed me the way.
He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall,
An’ if I am a Christian
I am the least of all.
These two verses are well worth singing as well don’t you think?
As I consider these last two verses I”m struck by the thought of how we can’t do anything unless God shows us the way first. We can’t tell what we don’t know. We can’t do a job we haven’t been given. God is the one who sent his son, to give us a message, and then a job. Go, Tell. The nations, everyone around us, he did that. His job, his mission, for us to carry out.
Are you doing the job he’s given you?
I learned this with the final two verses you noted, not the top few. I find when I hear these top few verses that people have done to make this into a “Christmas” song, it just doesn’t impact me as much. I do like this one, as spirituals have such a history and emotion to them that just cannot be recreated by something composed for the purpose of singing.
I can see what you are saying. Singing the original verses says much.