I was never a big fan of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" anyway - the melody is kind of awkward and gets really high, and it just didn't pack the emotional punch of some of my favorites. But yesterday (that is, yesterday two years ago) I was listening to Sara Groves' new Christmas album and her version of the song totally captured my attention. By the end I was crying, overcome by the lovely old words and the sweet hope they proclaimed.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
It came upon a midnight clear
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
It came upon a midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
And ye beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
Still through broken skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world.
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
What a beautiful message! So many centuries ago, the angels spilled forth from heaven to proclaim the good news - not just that Jesus was born, but that God desired to reconcile with His children. They sing it still, o'er all the weary world, above our noise and fear and sadness, if only we will listen. We have such a great hope. I love the exclamation in the second verse. Look now! For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing! Our salvation comes, riding on the dawn. He bears the name Immanuel, to be God-with-us.
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