O Holy Night
This is the English version of the French carol "Minuit, chrétiens".
O Holy Night
Christmas Carol
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appear'd 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! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O 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 come 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! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
Notes
The tune to "O Holy Night" was composed in 1847 by Adolphe Adam to go with the French poem, "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) by Placide Cappeau (1808–1877). Cappeau had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem. In 1855, Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight, editor of Dwight's Journal of Music, created a singing edition in English based on Cappeau's French text. The original French poem and the two English versions of the carol are all about the birth of Jesus and mankind's redemption.
This is the order of the lyrics in the recording of "O Holy Night" below:
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appear'd 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! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
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.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine,
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
2nd MP3: Sung by Christina.
3rd MP3: Many thanks to Sara Stevens for sharing her recording of this song with us! You can visit Sara's site here and check out Sara's itunes account to purchase her music.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Image: Nativity (Holy Night, Christmas), Lucas Cranach the Elder, Germany, 1520.
