12 Classic Christian Christmas Songs

One way our family celebrates this season is through singing. Here are some of our favorite Christmas songs to remind us of God’s love by sending his one and only Son into the world to save us from sin. I’ve included sample lyrics for each song and some videos for singing along. Enjoy!

1. Away In A Manger (James R. Murray)

Sample Lyrics:

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes;
I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
and stay by my side till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
and take us to heaven to live with thee there.

To hear this song, view this video:

Matt Mattero – Away In A Manger from mattmin1 on GodTube.

2. The First Noel (Traditional English Carol)

Sample Lyrics:
The first Noel the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Refrain:

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.

(Refrain)

To hear this song, watch this video:

The First Noel from beckylschanck on GodTube.

3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley & Felix Mendelssohn)

Sample Lyrics:

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born 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!”

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!”
Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
late in time behold him come,
offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’ incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!”

To hear this song, view this video:

Hark the Herald Angels Sing from crosspurposelcgs on GodTube.

4. Joy To The World (Isaac Watts)
Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Sing along to this popular carol here:

5. O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks & Lewis H. Redner)
Sample Lyrics:
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 wondering love.
O morning stars together,
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the king,
and peace to all on earth!

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is given;
so God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

To hear this song watch this video:

Matt Mattero – O Little Town Of Bethlehem from mattmin1 on GodTube.

6. Silent Night (Joseph Mohr & Franz Gruber)

Sample Lyrics:

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

7. O Come All Ye Faithful

Sample Lyrics:

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of Angels:

Chorus:
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above!
Glory to God
In the highest:

To hear this song by Jeremy Camp, see this video:

Jeremy Camp – O Come All Ye Faithful from jeremy-camp on GodTube.

8. Adore Him (Kari Jobe)

To see the lyrics and hear this song, see this video:

9. Mary Did You Know (Mark Lowry & Buddy Green)
Sample Lyrics:
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know,
that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered,
will soon deliver you.
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know,
that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby,
you’ve kissed the face of God.
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know,
that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding, is the great I AM

Listen to Mark Lowry and the Gather Vocal Band sing this song on video:

Mark Lowry: Mary Did You Know. from shadowwalker21 on GodTube.

10. Immanuel (Michael Card)

Sample Lyrics:

A sign shall be given
A virgin will conceive
A human baby bearing
Undiminished deity
The glory of the nations
A light for all to see
That hope for all who will embrace
His warm reality

Chorus:
Immanuel
Our God is with us
And if God is with us
Who could stand against us
Our God is with us
Immanuel

For all those who live in the shadow of death
A glorious light has dawned
For all those who stumble in the darkness
Behold your light has come
(chorus)

So what will be your answer?
Will you hear the call?
Of Him who did not spare His son
But gave him for us all
On earth there is no power
There is no depth or height
That could ever separate us
From the love of God in Christ
(chorus 2 x)

To hear this song by Michael Card see this video:

Immanuel from stevenliz91 on GodTube.
11. We Are the Reason (David Meece)
Sample Lyrics:

As little children we’d dream of Christmas morn
And all the gifts and toys we knew we’d find
But we never realized a baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We are the reason that He gave His life
We were the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more of our gifts
The giving of ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a man hung crying in the rain
Because of love
Because of love

*Chorus
I finally found the reason for living
It’s in giving every part of my heart to Him (every part to Him)
And all that I do every word that I say (you know I’ll be saying)
I will give all my life just for Him, just for Him (everything for Him)

We are the reason that He gave His life
We are the reason that He suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give (all that he could give all)
To show us the reason to live

He is the reason to live
(don’t you know do you know the reason
that he came, oh he came to save us
when he gave his life for us) he suffered and died
To a world that was lost He gave everything (everything that He had He gave)
To show us the reason to live

To sing along, watch this video: