When Heaven's Armies Sing ("Hark the Herald Angels Sing")

Do you ever read words of a song you've never heard, that inspire thoughts and wonderings about what the tune sounded like?
There are some songs where you hear the music, the instrumentals; then there are some songs where you hear the words, the poetry.
If done well, both have the power to stand alone; both are compelling.
Listen to movie soundtracks. Read the written word. You'll know what I mean.

In some fields near a small town called Bethlehem, a long, long time ago, a song was sung in the presence of some sheep and their shepherds. We know the words, but not the tune. But I imagine the music was more captivating, more stirring, more awesome than we could ever think up ourselves.
Then again, maybe there wasn't a tune. Maybe the power of the words conveyed what was needed without one musical note. Maybe the words stirred up a tune in the hearts of the shepherds themselves, and they hummed it the next day. Maybe musical notes previously unheard by the ears of humanity were mysteriously flowing and riding on the wings of the words of heavenly praise.
Whatever it sounded like, the shouts, the musical notes, the spoken words, were all a song to the heart of the Saviour.

The shepherds who were guarding their flocks were the fortunate ones who were treated to the sounds of heaven on that long-ago night. 
It was unlike any song; it was sung by a choir unlike any human choir in the span of human history. Different than any ensemble who has come together and performed musical masterpieces.

These words were spoken by a vast host of angels ~ the armies of heaven!

I can only imagine what that sounded like. 
I'm thinking it was thunderous. The enormous amount of angels speaking or singing at the same time, would have surely been an incredible thing to hear, a stunning thing to witness.
And what about four-part harmony? Or did they have the ability to sing in some sort of heavenly ten-part harmonies? Oh, how I would have loved to hear it! 
But whatever it was like, it was this one thing:

Praise. 

Words that honoured the God of all creation; the God of heaven who made His presence known and relatable to the humans on earth. Words that gave glory to the One who came to save. Words that pointed to the One who gave us hope. Words that caused a group of common shepherds to run to Bethlehem, leaving their sheep behind in the night. Words that prompted this group of men to seek out the new King, the Lord of lords, the Messiah. 

Praise of the angels pointed to the Promised Saviour. 

Praise of the angels fueled the hope of the shepherds. 

When the herald angels delivered their message, they proclaimed victory.
They spread good news of great joy.
They encouraged humanity to join the triumph of the skies. 
If the angels were praising, even more so should we be offering our own praise and worship, standing with the shepherds in awe and wonder, and then running to the King of kings as fast as we can. 

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favours." (Luke 2:14, NLT)
"Praise Him, all His angels! Praise Him, all the armies of heaven! ... Let every created thing give praise to the Lord." (Psalm 148:2,5 NLT)