God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

A Carol for Moving Forward

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen is one of my favorite Christmas carols. It’s one of the oldest carols, dating back to the 1500’s, though it’s been revised over the years. It was a “hit” from the beginning. You see, the Roman Catholic church was the only church in England at the time, and its worship songs were still the old, somber Latin choruses sung by the priests.  So, when this lively, English song was published, it quickly gained popularity both for its style and its comforting content.  It is said that the night watchmen in London would sing this tune while they were making their rounds.

But what exactly does “God rest ye merry” mean? There’s a lot of confusion!   

Most people assume it has something to do with God wanting us to be at rest and happy. And that assumption would be false. That’s because the meaning of words often changes over time – and some words fall out of usage completely. 

“Merry” is a great example. It’s a word we hardly ever use it anymore – not even for other holidays. No one says, “Merry Thanksgiving” or “Merry Easter”. It’s just fallen out of common usage.  More importantly, the word doesn’t mean what it once did.  We use it as a synonym for joyful, happy, or jolly.  But in bonnie old England, the word meant “strong, mighty, contented in spirit”.

The word “rest” is has undergone a similar change.  In contemporary usage, it means to relax, take a breather, a cessation. But in 16^th century England it meant something very different.  It meant to “to keep, to make”.

So, “God rest ye merry, gentleman” doesn’t mean, “God give you some rest and joy”, but rather, “May God keep you strong, mighty in heart, contented in spirit”. In a world where we face so much sadness, grief, and loss, the prayer of this carol is that God would keep us strong in our faith, mighty in our spirit, and contented in our hearts.  And the stanza explains what God has done to keep us in such spiritual strength.

  “God rest you merry, gentleman, 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.”

2025 brought its share of heartaches, and 2026 will do the same.  But no matter what difficulties or sorrows we face, “let nothing you dismay”. God promises to keep us strong as we remember the great victory we have in Jesus!  Christ’s birth is a powerful reason for hope, comfort, and joy!  God has come near to save us from Satan’s power and deliver us into the kingdom of life and light! This gospel “is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:17).  And it is more than sufficient to keep us strong in the Lord in 2026. May God rest ye, merry as you trust in Him.

Remembering and Rejoicing

This past year, the Lord took the following saints home.

Emilia Copple (baby)
Jen Gilmore
Dan Sandbulte
AnnaLisa Stegink
John Torres
Ken Van Ek
Chuck Vlieg

Please keep these families in your prayers.

Our gracious God has also blessed us with many new baby boys and girls!

Brooks Copple
Hendrik DeRuischer
Adelle Gelder
Jonah Griffeth
Harper Hopkins
Hudson Hordyk
George King
John Meikrantz
Samuel Modert
Willow Murray
Christian Nylen
Hayes Oomkes
Judah VanderWall
Jama Vanderwey
Katelyn Wheeler

In all of the joys and sorrows of the year to come, may God keep you strong in the Lord and content in your faith.

Wishing you a Blessed New Year,

Pastor Dale