HYMN OF THE MONTH
O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
Phillips Brooks (1868)
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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 wond'ring love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to all on earth.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav'n.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
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 Immanuel!
A Ride Through Bethlehem
If the streets of Bethlehem seem to come alive while singing Phillip Brook's classic hymn, that's because Brooks was actually there.
Well, he wasn't there when Christ was actually born, of course, but he was there in 1865 and even took a midnight horseback ride from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. There were still shepherds tending to their flocks.
Later, Brooks remembered the moment and was inspired to write a children's hymn that would help children and adults alike nvision the scene just a little better -- along with the true meaning of Christmas.
This Christmas season, how you can reflect God's light in the darkness around you? A simple smile? A loving deed? A hopeful word?
The streets around us are still dark. But God's light still shines. And meek hears still receive Him.
