O Little Town of Bethlehem

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a popular Christmas carol.

History

Phillips Brooks, an Episcopal priest, was inspired when he was visiting the town of Bethlehem in 1865. Three years later, he wrote the poem for his church and his organist, Lewis Redner, added the music. Redner's tune, simply titled "St. Louis", is the tune used most often for this carol in the United States. Meanwhile, the English tune "Forest Green", adapted by Ralph Vaughan Williams, is the tune most often used for this carol in the United Kingdom and sometimes in the U.S. as well, especially in the Episcopal Church.

Another version by H. Walford Davies is usually performed only by choirs rather than as a congregational hymn. This is because the first four verses are for treble voices with organ accompaniment, with only the final verse as a chorale/refrain harmony. This version is traditionally used at the service of Nine Lessons and Carols in Kings College, Cambridge.

Lyrics

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 to-night.

For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child,
Where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!

Cover Versions

• Kate and Anna McGarrigle - The McGarrigle Christmas Hour (2005) (Redner tune)
• Choir of King's College, Cambridge (1962, 1964, 1976, 1984) (English folk tune version except in 1962, when Sir David Willcocks recorded the Walford Davies setting.]]
• Choir of Winchester Cathedral (1998) (English folk tune version)
• George Guest and the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge (1974) (English folk tune version) - Christmas at St. John's
• Choir of Durham Cathedral (Walford Davies setting)
• Harry Christophers and The Sixteen

External links

• "O Little Town of Bethlehem" at Cyberhymnal