“God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” is a traditional English Christmas carol dating to the mid 17th Century. It was referenced by Charles Dickens in his 1843 novella “A Christmas Carol” but with the lyric:
“God bless you, Merry Gentleman!
May nothing you dismay!”
The phrase “God rest you merry” historically meant “may God grant you peace and happiness”. “Rest you merry” was used both in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and “Romeo and Juliet”. Over time, there has been confusion over this title due to changes in common language usage. The word ‘merry’ is an adverb of rest and not an adjective of Gentlemen.
“Pat-A-Pan” is a traditional Burgundian French Christmas carol written by Bernard de La Monnoye and published in 1720. The text calls for the bringing of a drum and flute to play for newborn Jesus Christ in worship. The title is onomatopoeic for the sound of a drum, as is the additional lyric “tu-re-lu-re-lu” for the sound of a flute.
“Yigdal” is a Jewish hymn and prayer that is a poetic adaptation of Maimonides’ 13 principles of faith. The text is attributed to 14th century poet Daniel ben Judah. The melody dates to the 17th century or earlier. It is traditionally sung for morning prayer and as the conclusion of Shabbat evening services. Upon hearing Yigdal, English Methodist Thomas Olivers adapted this melody for use in his Christian hymn “The God of Abraham Praise”, which is a paraphrase of the ben Judah doxology, and was first published in 1772.
“Merry! Don’t You Know?” is a playful melding of these sacred songs, acting as a reminder that Christmas is a time to be merry and joyful as we celebrate the nature, power, and love of God.
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