Sing Choirs of Angels
Verse 2 of this great old Christmas song O Come All Ye Faithful says:
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exaltation
Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above
Glory to God, glory in the highest
"Sing" is the main word here, as you heard. The author is calling the angels to sing in choirs, to sing with a spirit of worship and exaltation, to sing as citizens of heaven, to sing "glory to God in the highest".
Biblical Imagery of Angel Worship
Of course this is all biblical imagery - in Luke 2 the shepherds are visited by angels who tell them about the coming Messiah, wrapped and lying in a manger, and we read "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven.'" (Luke 2:13-14)
What must it be like to hear a choir of angels singing? I can only imagine. In Job 38:7 we read that "all the angels shouted for joy" when God created the world. In the book of Hebrews, the author makes a point of stating that Jesus is greater than angels - in Hebrews 1:6 we read "when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says, 'Let all God's angels worship Him.'" Peter writes that Jesus "has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand - with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him." (1 Peter 3:22) And of course who can forget the picture John has in Revelation 5, he writes: "I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: 'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!'" (Revelation 5:11-12)
Joining the Existing Song of Praise
All throughout Scripture, angels worship God, and in particular, they worship Jesus. Jesus is worthy of our praise, because clearly Jesus is worthy of the praise of angels!
So, this Christmas time, as we remember the birth of Jesus, and as we sing songs of praise and worship to Him because He is the Messiah and the Saviour and the Lamb of God - let us not forget that ours are not the only voices praising Him. In heaven the angels are singing His glory even now! When we sing, we are the ones who join an existing song of praise to the only one who is worthy.
Let your voice ring out! Join in the chorus! I've never been to a Mighty Men conference, like so many men in our country have, but friends who have been tell me how amazing it is to stand in a crowd of many thousand and sing, and for your voice to get lost in the sound of the worship of the crowd! How much more amazing, to join the choirs of angels as they worship the newborn King again this Christmas.
Angels worship Jesus in heaven with glorious songs of praise, and when we worship Him we join their eternal chorus. Let your voice ring out this Christmas and join the choirs of angels in praising the newborn King.