The gospel, the good news, is news to be shared. Alternating airs and choruses picture the glad tidings of the sounds of this news that Christ lives being preached unto the ends of the world. Those who receive this news in faith are surely blessed. In contrast, the rejection of this news is devasting…what’s the proper response from here? Praise. In what is the most famous, recognizable section of Messiah, a powerful, heavenly, victorious “Hallelujah” breaks out from the chorus, who loudly proclaim the rule and reign of the risen Christ, the King of Kings, throughout eternity.

All month long at Christ Over All, we are meditating on Messiah by George Frideric Handel (1685–1759). And in what follows, we are offering the full text of Handel’s Messiah, along with key musical terms, and links to every part of the performance. In other words, while it would be too much to say that this is a “critical” edition of Handel’s Messiah, it is a useful, interactive edition that will serve classical musicians and novices alike.

As you follow along, there is first some preliminary definitions of key musical terms to familiarize the untrained as to the various styles of music employed by Handel. Next, introducing each of the three parts is a brief introduction to the biblical texts that Charles Jennens (1700–1773) composed. Finally, each text (as it is sung in Messiah) is listed, totaling fifty-three total texts of Scripture.[1] And underneath the style of music is a hyperlink that leads to the performance of that section.

We pray that this interactive edition of Handel’s Messiah, with Charles Jennen’s Scripture texts, serves as a blessed reminder of our Lord’s promise, birth, life, sin-bearing death, exalted resurrection and ascension, along with the good news of resurrection from the dead and the hope of salvation for the whole world. For truly, that is why we sing Messiah and share its Scripture-saturated lyrics with you.

The Music: A Few Basic Terms

To properly ascertain Messiah, one must become familiar with a few basic terms and structures that Handel employs. There are 53 texts of scripture in the oratorio. These texts were compiled by “the wealthy and arrogant Leicestershire country gentleman, Charles Jennens.”[2] Jennens served as Handel’s textwriter (librettist) for decades.[3] Organized into Part I (Numbers 1–21), Part II, (Numbers 22–44), and Part III (Numbers 45–53), the selections bridge an expanse of revelation from Psalms to Revelation.

Handel portrays the biblical scenes with a method of musical variety, as if looking at the same substance from different angles. In no particular order (although an Air tends to precede a Chorus, that in turn may precede a Recitative), Handel employs the Overture, the Air, the Chorus, the Accompagnato, and the Recitative. Here are basic definitions:

• Overture – a thematic, wordless piece of music used to introduce the theme and set the mood of a performance
• Air – a self-contained piece for a solo singer, often with orchestral accompaniment
• Chorus – a section of a musical piece where many singers perform together, often with orchestral accompaniment
• Accompagnato – a vocal delivery somewhere between speaking and singing, accompanied by music and often dramatic
• Recitative – a style of singing that imitates speech, is unrepeated, and lacks a fixed rhythm

Part 1: Texts Number 1–21

Part I of the work concerns the “Old Testament anticipation of the advent of the Messiah, and the New Testament fulfillment of this expectation.”[4] Against the backdrop of a dramatic, almost hopeless overture, Messiah’s first words are the comfort spoken to Jerusalem, who anticipates the end of exile and war as God comes on a highway in the desert (Isa. 40:1–3). This is quickly followed by further reflections from Isaiah 40, which promises salvation to a people who have been under judgment (see Isaiah 1–39).

Following Isaiah 40:4–5, Messiah sings of the crooked path made straight and the revelation of God’s glory in the first Air and Chorus. The Lord’s coming to earth, a simultaneously comforting and terrifying thought, is the continuing theme through sections of Haggai and Malachi. God’s coming is like a “refiner’s fire” (Mal. 3:2). Whatever messianic anticipation that seems vague is clarified as a Recitative voice announces the words of Isaiah 7:14 (and Matthew 1:23): “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us.” This son is heralded through accompagnato, air, and chorus as the great light in the midst of darkness, whose name shall be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace in a world not at peace. (Isa. 60:2–3, Isa. 9:2, Isa. 9:6).

Part I continues with the Christmas story proper, as Handel alternates between the Recitative and Accompagnato. The shepherds, the heavenly host, and the glory of God are in full view as the “good tidings of great joy” are announced in the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:10–11). A chorus joins and sings glory to God (Luke 2:14). The first section of Messiah concludes with a brief, selective picture of Christ’s life. The peace, healing, gentleness, and rest that Jesus offers is brought into view (Zech. 9:9–10, Isa. 35:5–6, Isa. 40:11, Matt. 11:28–29). Commenting on this angelic declaration, Block rightly notes that “the birth of the Messiah guarantees peace for the human race that has been languishing in turmoil and chaos ever since the Fall.”[5] A chorus ends with the simple words: “His yoke is easy, and His burden is light” (Matt. 11:30).

1. Sinfonia– (Instrumental)
2. Accompagnato (Tenor)– “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:1–3)
3. Air (Tenor)– “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and ev’ry mountain and hill made low: the crooked straight and the rough places plain:” (Isaiah 40:4)
4. Chorus– “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5)
5. Accompagnato (Bass)– “Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts: Yet once, a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.” (Haggai 2:6–7); “The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1)
6. Air (Bass)– “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire.” (Malachi 3:2)
7. Chorus– “And he shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3)
8. Recitative (Alto)– “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us.” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)
9. Air (mezzo-soprano) and Chorus– “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain. O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” (Isaiah 40:9); “Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1)
10. Accompagnato (bass)– “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60:2–3)
11. Air (bass)– “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)
12. Chorus– “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
13. Pifa Pastoral Sinfonia– (Instrumental)

14a. Recitative (soprano) – “There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” (Luke 2:8)

14b. Accompagnato (soprano) “And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.” (Luke 2:9)

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