It appears that this question has been debated for many years and many folks are sure that they have the correct answer. The problem comes with the interpretation of Luke 2:13-14 which informs us, "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.'" It appears that the angels here are shouting but not singing as many Christmas hymns seem to say.
Actually the Bible does not have very much to say about angels. I read that much of what people believe about angels today does not come from the Word of God but comes from the Middle Ages, with no scriptural foundation whatever. It's interesting to note that angels as we know them today have been sent forth as ministering spirits (see Hebrews 1:5-14). We know so little about them and the little that we do know is the contact they've made with earth.
So called authorities and scholars have disagreed for centuries on other scriptures that could indicate that angels might sing, such as Job 38:7 and Revelation 5:11-13. But the fact that the angels are worshipping and praising God in the Luke passage could seem to argue for singing as the meaning, not just speaking. God has created humanity with an innate connection to music and singing, especially in regard to worship (Ephesians 5:19). So It might seem logical that God could have created the angels with that same "propensity" for singing.
Some disagree strongly. The late Bible teacher Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, without any hesitation, "Well, hark, the herald angels don't sing! This Christmas carol that they sing has no scriptural proof at all. We can do something which angels cannot do, and that is sing." Maybe he is right.
Now while we don't want to promote ideas that are false or just tradition, maybe we also need to be careful on this question. Just because the Bible doesn't explicitly state that they did sing does not necessarily mean that they did not. Some who have even argued that angels do not or cannot sing at all must adequately address Job 38:7 and other passages that seem to support the idea that they can and have sung. Furthermore, there is no biblical or logical reason why they could not sing. Angels appear to be highly intelligent beings who are capable of speaking. Why would they be incapable of putting those words into song, especially since other beings in heaven sing (Revelation 5:9–14)?
Charles Wesley must have thought that they did sing when he penned the words of his long famous Christmas carol. Was he wrong? Even Charles Spurgeon, the famous nineteenth century preacher, waxed eloquent on singing angels: "And notice how well they told the story, and surely you will love them! Not with the stammering tongue of one who tells a tale in which he has no interest; nor even with the feigned interest of a man that would move the passions of others, when he feels no emotion himself; but with joy and gladness, such as angels can only know. They sang the story out, for they could not stop to tell it in heavy prose. They sang, "Glory to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men." I think they sang it with gladness in their eyes; with their hearts burning with love, and with breasts as full of joy as if the good news to man had been good news to themselves." Interesting opinion.
But maybe a contemporary, Dr. David Jeremiah, sums it up the best. "So are angels melodious, or tone-deaf? The Bible doesn't seem to care enough to clear it up for us. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! And while we're waiting, there are plenty of places where it encourages us to sing our praises to God!"
Now what do we do with "heaven's arches rang when the angels sand," or "the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing." or "Ye who sang creation's story, now proclaim Messiah's birth," or "angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains," or "whom angels greet with anthems sweet," or "sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation, O sing all ye bright hosts of heaven above," or "heavenly hosts sing allelujah," or "hark the herald angels sing!" I guess that is your choice. Fortunately your opinion does not affect your destiny. But I'd be glad to at least to hear what you think. As for me, I will probably still sing ... or say them ... maybe I should try replacing "sing" with "said"... "Hark the herald angles said."
In any case, when we think about God's amazing gift of a Savior to mankind on that night, we should glorify and praise God, whether in spoken word or in song, just as the shepherds did on that incredible night after they had seen the newborn King.
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