Handel on Heaven

I visited church folk this week. After our meal, we retired to watch a German performance of Messiah by Georg Handel. This work is a truly wonderful piece of music, and one we may safely declare inspired by God Himself, for each of its words having been taken from scripture. A few years ago, a number of us from Martin Top heard a superb live performance at Blackburn Cathedral. Worthy is the Lamb  sets my heart a-beating and brings a tear to my eye. Like Handel’s other great triumph, Zadok the Priest, it comes I think as close to angelic harmony as ever mortal can. One day, we shall be in heaven, not just hearing the dulcet tones of trained singers entertaining the middle classes, but a combined choir of unsullied angel and sanctified saint rejoicing at the Lamb’s awesome splendour. If dying means I get there sooner, then death I hail. Till then, I shall limit my euphonious delight to Handel.

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

(Rev 5:11-13)

You may hear it here: