O Holy Night
One of my favorite carols at Christmas is O Holy Night.
I loved the song when I had only just heard the first verse and chorus, but about 15 years ago, I ran across a rendition with another verse, and was even more moved.
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviors birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Til He appeared and the soil felt its worth
A thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks, a new, a glorious morn
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O holy night, O night divine
Led by the light of faith serenly beaming
With glowing hearts, by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here came the wise men from the Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love, and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave He is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy, in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
We are told that the carol was originally written by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure, a wine commission in France in the 1840′s. He studied the gospel of Luke, and was inspired to pen the words of the hymn/poem. Shortly after, he asked a Jewish friend, Adolphe Charles Adams, to help put the poem to music. The hymn was well-received by the church, and quickly grew in popularity. When Roquemaure stopped attending church and joined the socialist movement, the church publicly denounced the song, and no longer allowed it to be part of their services.
Meanwhile, the Civil War was breaking in the Americas and John Sullivan Dwight introduced the song to the churches in our country mainly because of the third verse and its message of stopping oppression and joining in unity.
This song opens with the plight of the world. It has been 400 years since the last prophet spoke to the people of God. The world was silent, and they were in waiting – waiting for a Savior, a King, a Messiah to lead them. The world was waiting in expectation for the entry of its Creator and its King.
The second verse, which I have never heard before this evening speaks of the miracle of Christ’s birth. The majesty of being born in such humble beginnings, the destiny of people being led by one star from different regions to attend this glorious event. The promise that He was here to meet the hopes and the needs of a people.
The last verse speaks of the world since His birth. The words penned in this verse are as true today, as they were the day they were penned over 150 years ago, as they were the night Christ was born. Christ came to teach us the greatest commandment, love. He came to bring us peace, to be joined together as one people united in the hope of His resurrection and Kingdom. The chains He came to break are the chains of our prisons, both internal and external. He came to set us free.
The chorus speaks of a people falling before the King of kings and Lord of lords, of hearing the songs of heaven all around us and realization of the promise fulfilled in that one night, that fateful night, that holy night.
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