So it’s Christmastime and my itunes is decked out with my favourite Christmas playlist, most of our Christmas cards are sent, house has been decorated for a few weeks, we’ve started our family advent readings, baking is almost done – I do none of it, but I do taste test :). I was thinking this morning about some of my favourite Christmas songs, and I have to say one of my absolute favourite ones is “O Holy Night.” It is a very majestic song and captures in song the way I see Christmas… the mood, the meaning, the tone.
Here’s a little background on the song. This song originated from a poem entitled “Minuit, chrétiens” (Midnight, Christians) by an amateur French poet named Placide Cappeau (1808-1877). He wrote this in 1847 after being asked by his parish Priest to write a poem for Christmas. Later in 1855 a minister and editor of Dwight’s Journal of Music named John Sullivan Dwight composed music to accompany the poem. He published a French and English version to sing and named it “O Holy Night” (“Cantique de Noël”).This is also beleived to be the very first song ever broadcast on radio. On Christmas Eve 1906 a Canadian inventor named Reginald Fessenden broadcast the first AM radio program. During this broadcast he played “O Holy Night” on the violin.
May you be blessed by this song, it’s meaning, and may it focus your heart and life on the most wonderful time of the year…
O holy night, The stars are brightly shining
It is the night Of the dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world In sin and error pining
Till He appeared And the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees, Oh 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 serenely beaming
With glowing hearts By His cradle we stand
So led by light Of a star sweetly gleaming
Here came the wise men From Orient land
The King of kings Lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials Born to be our Friend
He knows our need To our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King Before Him lowly bend
Behold your King Before Him lowly bend
Truly He taught us To love one another
His law is love And His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break For the slave 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
Christ is the Lord Oh praise His name forever
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim