What are the lyrics to ‘Jesus Christ the Apple Tree’, and who composed the carol?

6 December 2024, 16:42

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - Elizabeth Poston

It’s a beautiful, serene and glorious carol, but what are the lyrics to ‘Jesus Christ the Apple Tree’, and who composed it?

‘Jesus Christ the Apple Tree’ is one of the most sublime and calming of all the Christmas carols.

Its tender melody perfectly supports the text, a poetic and deeply felt appreciation of Jesus, who is compared to the ‘Apple Tree’.

The poem’s origins are mysterious, with the first known publication appearing in London’s Spiritual Magazine in August 1761. In the magazine, the only hint as to who wrote the poem was the initials ‘R.H’.

This has led to speculation up to the present day, though the most likely candidate is Rev. Richard Hutchins, a Calvinist Baptist clergyman active in the mid-18th century.

Read more: What are the lyrics to ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, and who composed the carol?

Who composed the music?

The poem has been set to music by several composers, including Jeremiah Ingalls (1764–1838), Elizabeth Poston (1905–1987) and John Rutter.

Perhaps the most performed and beautiful version is by Elizabeth Poston. The English composer had a glittering career in various guises, as a highly successful pianist, composer and academic. Alongside ‘Jesus Christ the Apple Tree’, her setting of the ’Boar’s Head Carol’ remains another piece of festive music written by Poston still regularly performed today.

Today, you might recognise it as the one of the more serene carols sung at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, the perfect contrast to the more rousing ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ and ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’.

What are the lyrics about?

As with most Christmas carols, the lyrics praise Jesus Christ with his divine beauty and glory. The carol uses the allegory of the Apple Tree to extol the virtues of Christ, alluding to both the apple tree in ‘Song of Solomon 2:3’, and ‘Luke 13:18–19’, where Jesus describes himself as the ‘tree of life’.

The description of the apple tree also ties in with the old English tradition of ‘wassailing’, a ritual of wishing health to apple trees on Christmas Eve.

The song is now performed by choirs around the world, especially during the festive season as a Christmas carol.

Read more: The 30 greatest Christmas carols of all time

What are the lyrics to ‘Jesus Christ the Apple Tree’?

The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit and always green;
The trees of nature fruitless be,
Compared with Christ the Apple Tree.

His beauty doth all things excel,
By faith I know but ne'er can tell
The glory which I now can see,
In Jesus Christ the Apple Tree.

For happiness I long have sought,
And pleasure dearly I have bought;
I missed of all but now I see
'Tis found in Christ the Apple Tree.

I'm weary with my former toil -
Here I will sit and rest awhile,
Under the shadow I will be,
Of Jesus Christ the Apple Tree.

With great delight I’ll make my stay,
There’s none shall fright my soul away;
Among the sons of men I see
There’s none like Christ the Apple Tree.

I’ll sit and eat this fruit divine,
It cheers my heart like spirit’al wine;
And now this fruit is sweet to me,
That grows on Christ the Apple Tree.

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,
It keeps my dying faith alive;
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the Apple Tree.