Strange email

[Montreal Wanderer]

Generally speaking in published versions the comma comes after merry

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.

Merry is not an adjective describing the gentlemen, but an adverb for rest. It seems to come from as early as the C15th.

And I think you'll find that there's a u in your "Savior" thank-you very much, matey boy!

True - I used the American spelling (not because I used it per se but simply tried cut and paste because I'm lazy).

[Batman]

quite right

[Bruce Rioja]

True - I used the American spelling (not because I used it per se but simply tried cut and paste because I'm lazy).

In which case, you'll do for me, cocker!

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Generally speaking in published versions the comma comes after merry

God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.

Merry is not an adjective describing the gentlemen, but an adverb for rest. It seems to come from as early as the C15th.

Yes, I just looked in the OED too, and it seems that 'rest' used to be used as a transitive verb (almost always with the Deity as the subject, apparently), meaning something like 'keep'.