I have been reviewing some modern worship songs, but I’ve taken a break to explore some Advent and Christmas hymns. 😀. Today, I’ve chosen In the Bleak Midwinter:
It’s actually a poem by Christina Rossetti, first published in 1872, later set to music by Gustav Holst and Harold Darke, and is now one of the most beloved Christmas carols worldwide. I never remember singing it in church.
I first became curious about it when it featured in a comedy song back in Christmas 1983. I saw two guys from the Minder TV series singing “What’ll I Get for Christmas for ‘Er Indoors” (meaning his wife). And the music from the hymn featured in the song (if you listen carefully).
It’s strange to sing about the bleak midwinter because we don’t know the time of year in which Jesus was born. The 25th December date was chosen in the 4th century, likely to align with existing pagan festivals such as the Roman Saturnalia (a week-long festival of feasting and gift-giving) and the birthday of Sol Invictus, the “Unconquered Sun” But in Ireland, it does feel like the bleak midwinter. I remember being surprised when my dad said that in Australia, Christmas is in the summer 😀. Well, who knows? Jesus might have been born in the summer. I’ve known Christians who don’t like Christmas because in the Bible, we’re not told to celebrate it in the way that we’re told to celebrate the death of Jesus with bread and wine. But I’d hate not to have Christmas. It’s the high point of the year. And it does remind people of the Saviour, even if the tradition developed in later centuries.
Here are the lyrics. It’s quite poetic. My favourite bit is the last verse and the last line: give him my heart:
1 In the bleak midwinter
frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone:
snow had fallen,
snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter,
long ago.
2 Our God, heaven cannot hold him,
nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away
when he comes to reign:
in the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
the Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
3 Enough for him whom cherubim
worship night and day,
a breastful of milk
and a mangerful of hay:
enough for him
whom angels fall down before,
the ox and ass and camel
which adore.
4 Angels and archangels
may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim
thronged the air,
but only his mother,
in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the Beloved
with a kiss.
5 What can I give him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb,
if I were a wise man
I would do my part,
yet what I can I give him,
give my heart.
Phil 2:5-11
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Here are some interesting versions of the hymn:
Hibernia Gospel 