"O Little Town of Bethlehem" has always been one of my favorite Christmas hymns. I loved the word pictures it created in my mind when I was a child. The dark and silent streets, the angels waiting breathless as they watch with wondering love, the baby Jesus being born while everyone was sleeping. But it is the last verse that I appreciate more these days. The great glad tidings the angels had to tell of sin cast out and an abiding Savior coming in.
This poem that was written by an Episcopal Priest (Phillips Brooks) in 1868 after a visit to Bethlehem, Israel has touched hearts around the world. What would the world have missed if he had never written down the words, if the church organist (Louis Redner) had not composed a tune to sing it to? The song that began life as thoughts from a Holy Land visit and became a poem and then a popular hymn has blessed many lives and is an integral part of our christian Christmas heritage. Our lives are filled with many things like this...the "What ifs?" What if you hadn't spoken to that person, just brushed by them instead? What if your mind had been too preoccupied to smile at that child? What if? Here are some big "What ifs": What if Mary had said she was too scared? What if Joseph had said it was too embarrassing for him to marry this young girl? What if Jesus had not been born in Bethlehem that night? What would your life be like today?
Here are the words to Phillips Brooks poem, so that you can ponder them:
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 wondering love O morning stars together Proclaim the holy birth And praises sing to God the King And Peace to men on earth
O holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us, we pray Cast out our sin and enter in Be born to us today We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell O come to us, abide with us Our Lord Emmanuel
PS: In my research I found a fourth verse that was eventually removed for doctrinal issues (because it alluded to the "immaculate conception"). I thought the words were lovely and so here it is:
Where children pure and happy Pray to the Blessed Child
Where misery cries out to Thee Son of the Undefiled (changed to "Son of the Mother mild;) Where Charity stands watching And Faith holds wide the door The dark night wakes the glory hearts And Christmas comes once more