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But that’s not the carol I am writing about today.

In the run-up to Christmas this year (so, Advent, I guess?) I had occasion to type all of the words to the carol “O little town of Bethlehem”.

And, unusually for this blog, I’m going to eschew any mention of the various tunes for this completely, and just invite you to reflect on the words. Although now common throughout the Anglican Communion, and really all of Christendom, these words come from the pen of Episcopal priest Phillips Brooks (”Born in Boston, Died in Boston”). Brooks later became the Bishop of Massachusetts.

You might be struck by the Christmas silence of the third stanza. Or the glorious crescendo achieved in the fourth stanza. It’s all rather beautiful, and our familiarity with it sometimes prevents a true close reading.

I hope you have had a blessed Christmas!

O little town of Bethlehem,
   how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
   the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
   the everlasting Light;
the hopes and fears of all the years
   are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary;
   and gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
   their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
   proclaim the holy birth!
and praises sing to God the King,
   and peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,
   the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
   the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
   but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him,
   still the dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy
   pray to the blessed Child,
where misery cries out to thee,
   Son of the Mother mild;
where charity stands watching
   and faith holds wide the door,
the dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
   and Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
   descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in,
   be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
   the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
   our Lord Emmanuel!

Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

Labels: 12 Carols for Christmas, Christmas, Phillips Brooks