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 Silent Night.
It’s not particularly rich theologically, but it’s probably the earliest hymn that I remember from childhood. It’s fascinating that it became so popular. I tend to think of this and Jingle Bells as the central songs of Christmas. It’s a lot more meaningful than Jingle Bells – at least to me 😀.
I remember going to an English speaking Baptist church near Salzburg in the Summer of 1984. I met a girl around my age, and from a Roman Catholic background like myself. She mentioned that when she was a Catholic, she had attended the church where Silent Night was written.
It was written back in 1818 and is one of the most recorded Christmas songs, with over 137,000 versions.
Let’s examine the lyrics:
[Refrain]
Silent night, holy night
[Verse 1]
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
[Refrain]
[Verse 2]
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
[Refrain]
[Verse 3]
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Perhaps it’s sometimes nice not to analyse things too much but just feel the atmosphere of the birth of Jesus. Yet it still reminds us that He’s the Son of God and our Saviour.
Matt 1:21-13
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
There’s that lovely story from World War One where the British Soldiers hear the Germans singing Silent Night and it sparks off the famous truce. Though I’m Irish, both my grandfathers were in the war, one in the army and the other in the navy.
It’s such a delight to be living at a time where there’s so much peace in Western Europe. I just pray that the whole world follows soon. Back in the earlier part of my life, the most distressing war-like news often came from Northern Ireland, but thankfully that’s all over now too.
Here’s some notable versions of Silent Night.
Hibernia Gospel 