by Rita Klundt

We were at one of those “all church fellowship meals.” You know the kind, especially if you’re a Baptist. I was enjoying the afterglow of our church’s Christmas play—a play that I had written, and our children and youth had performed.

But, before anyone gets the idea that I’m bragging about an impeccable script, or my clearly written stage directions, they should know this was my first children’s play-writing attempt. That I was able to express my vision through words on a page took a bit of divine intervention. That the directors were able to get a couple dozen kids (of varying ages and stages of development) to work so hard memorizing lines, and make it to the stage on time, took a ton of mercy and loads of grace! I counted faces, and it took no less than forty people to pull this thing off. It helped that most of our audience was made of parents and families. We were counting on them to be enthusiastic and forgiving. They were.

Now, back to the table in the fellowship hall where someone raised the question: “Do angels really sing?”

Of course angels in heaven sing, don’t they?

“But is that biblically accurate?” the person challenged.

I answered, “Well, the angels in my play sang!”

Months ago, I determined to portray the true story of Christmas in this play. I’d taken care to dispel the common mental image that three wise men were present in the stable where Jesus was born. Not wanting to offend anyone, I did so with a little humor. I also wanted the audience to see girls as shepherds, not to satisfy some politically correct standard, but because at the time of Jesus’ birth, if a girl’s father had sheep, she was probably a shepherdess.

I’d used a translation that is generally accepted as accurate, and inserted the story from Luke 2, word for word, into the dialogue. I thought I had included all the basic stuff people expect when they go to a children’s Christmas play, while writing it according to what the Bible actually says. But now I wondered.

In their sermons, preachers with open Bibles, mention angels singing. Words about angels singing are in every third or fourth Christmas carol, not to mention other hymns. From my early childhood, I’ve known that angels sing. Of course angels sing! Right?

The internet has plenty of comments about how Greek and Hebrew words of the Bible don’t technically support the widely held idea that angels sing. After reading some scholarly logic, and getting bored, I opened the Bible on my desk and started flipping through some of the references having to do with angels and singing.

And guess what? I read some of the verses those scholars used to support a lack of evidence that angels sing. They almost convinced me, but I still believe that angels sing. I think the preachers were right in making that claim. I believe the carols and hymns are correct, at least the parts about angels singing. And, I trust what my mother and Sunday school teachers told me.

After reading the same verses those scholars used as references, I believe they are asking the wrong question. They should be asking: How could angels not sing?

Angels sang, sing, and will be singing when we get to Heaven (capitalized because it’s an actual place.) In case you want to know how I came to that conclusion, I’ve made it easy for you. Consider a few of the verses I found. Then tell me, do you believe angels sing?

If you don’t trust my cutting and pasting, look these verses up in your own Bible. Read them in Hebrew or Greek if you must :

Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Psalm103:20 (ESV)

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

Praise Him for His mighty deeds;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.

Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.

Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD! Psalm 150:1-6 (NASB)

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!

Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!

Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!

Praise Him, highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the LORD,

For He commanded and they were created.

He has also established them forever and ever;
Psalm 148:1-6 (NASB)

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, Psalm 92:1 (NIV)

As the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Job 38:7 (NLT)

And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.” Hebrews 1:6 (NLT)

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV)

Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.” Psalm 66:4 (NLT)

Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew 26:33 (NIV)

Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. Matthew 18:10 (NLT)

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:11-13 (ESV)

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Revelation 8:2 (ESV)

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13-14 (KJV)

If you don’t hear them singing after reading what God says about angels, then something inside you is badly wounded or broken, and it’s not your ears, or what’s between them. It’s your heart.

Luke 15:10 (ESV) says, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

It’s a merrier Christmas when you hear the angels singing. They sure can carry a tune.

by Rita Klundt

We were at one of those “all church fellowship meals.” You know the kind, especially if you’re a Baptist. I was enjoying the afterglow of our church’s Christmas play—a play that I had written, and our children and youth had performed.

But, before anyone gets the idea that I’m bragging about an impeccable script, or my clearly written stage directions, they should know this was my first children’s play-writing attempt. That I was able to express my vision through words on a page took a bit of divine intervention. That the directors were able to get a couple dozen kids (of varying ages and stages of development) to work so hard memorizing lines, and make it to the stage on time, took a ton of mercy and loads of grace! I counted faces, and it took no less than forty people to pull this thing off. It helped that most of our audience was made of parents and families. We were counting on them to be enthusiastic and forgiving. They were.

Now, back to the table in the fellowship hall where someone raised the question: “Do angels really sing?”

Of course angels in heaven sing, don’t they?

“But is that biblically accurate?” the person challenged.

I answered, “Well, the angels in my play sang!”

Months ago, I determined to portray the true story of Christmas in this play. I’d taken care to dispel the common mental image that three wise men were present in the stable where Jesus was born. Not wanting to offend anyone, I did so with a little humor. I also wanted the audience to see girls as shepherds, not to satisfy some politically correct standard, but because at the time of Jesus’ birth, if a girl’s father had sheep, she was probably a shepherdess.

I’d used a translation that is generally accepted as accurate, and inserted the story from Luke 2, word for word, into the dialogue. I thought I had included all the basic stuff people expect when they go to a children’s Christmas play, while writing it according to what the Bible actually says. But now I wondered.

In their sermons, preachers with open Bibles, mention angels singing. Words about angels singing are in every third or fourth Christmas carol, not to mention other hymns. From my early childhood, I’ve known that angels sing. Of course angels sing! Right?

The internet has plenty of comments about how Greek and Hebrew words of the Bible don’t technically support the widely held idea that angels sing. After reading some scholarly logic, and getting bored, I opened the Bible on my desk and started flipping through some of the references having to do with angels and singing.

And guess what? I read some of the verses those scholars used to support a lack of evidence that angels sing. They almost convinced me, but I still believe that angels sing. I think the preachers were right in making that claim. I believe the carols and hymns are correct, at least the parts about angels singing. And I trust what my mother and Sunday school teachers told me.

After reading the same verses those scholars used as references, I believe they are asking the wrong question. They should be asking: How could the angels not sing?

Angels sang, sing, and will be singing when we get to Heaven (capitalized because it’s an actual place.) In case you want to know how I came to that conclusion, I’ve made it easy for you. Read a few of the verses I found. Then tell me, do you believe angels sing?

If you don’t trust my cutting and pasting, look these verses up in your own Bible :

Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Psalm103:20 (ESV)

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

Praise Him for His mighty deeds;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.

Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.

Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD! Psalm 150:1-6 (NASB)

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!

Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!

Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!

Praise Him, highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the LORD,

For He commanded and they were created.

He has also established them forever and ever;
Psalm 148:1-6 (NASB)

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, Psalm 92:1 (NIV)

As the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Job 38:7 (NLT)

And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.” Hebrews 1:6 (NLT)

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV)

Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.” Psalm 66:4 (NLT)

Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew 26:33 (NIV)

Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. Matthew 18:10 (NLT)

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:11-13 (ESV)

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Revelation 8:2 (ESV)

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:13-14 (KJV)

If you don’t hear them singing after reading what God says about angels, then something inside you is badly wounded or broken, and it’s not your ears, or what’s between them. It’s your heart.

Luke 15:10 (ESV) says, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

It’s a merrier Christmas when you hear the angels singing. They sure can carry a tune.