It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, good will to all, From heav’n’s all-gracious king.”
The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.
And you, beneath life’s crushing load, Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow.
Look now, for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh, rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing!
For lo! The days are hastening on, By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years Shall come the time foretold.
When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,
And all the world give back the song Which now the angels sing.
“It Came upon the Midnight Clear” (Stanzas 1, 3, 4)
Text: Edmund H. Sears; Tune: Richard S. Willis
Every Christmas, I find myself amazed and grateful for the rich variety of music that celebrates and shares the good news of the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah. If you take a few minutes and page through the section of Christmas hymns in our Worship Book, look in the lower left hand corner, and you’ll see a wide variety of text and tune attributions. We expect to see, “Traditional German” (or Swedish or Norwegian), but there are also “French carol” “African-American Spiritual” and “English folk tune.” In a short read, one quickly sees the international, historic and varied nature of the sacred music of Christmas.
The beautiful, familiar words and melodies that we learned as children are woven deeply into the fabric of both personal and family memories. For many of us, “it just wouldn’t be Christmas” if those beloved hymns were left out of the worship service. How else does worship begin if you don’t sing “O Come All Ye Faithful”? There is more than sentimentality involved, however, as these melodies of majesty, celebration, and quiet contemplation combine with words that tell the story, express amazement and gratitude, and look forward in hope for peace throughout the world.
“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” has a sweet melody and a beautifully poetic message. Especially meaningful in stanza 3 are the words of encouragement for those “beneath life’s crushing load”. During Jesus’ ministry, he expressed empathy and understanding for those carrying the burdens of life. He understood that many go through their days with heavy hearts, with unseen burdens of fear and anxiety, whether for themselves or for loved ones. Words of hope and comfort are interwoven with those of praise and joy, and with good reason. The coming to our troubled world of God in human form is no small or simple thing. It is God coming to live among us, to show how deeply he loves and cares for us, his beloved children. Such a gift is almost beyond our comprehension, but as we share it, we’ll start to “get it.”
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers