“O Holy Night”
One of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time is O Holy Night. How much do you know about the history and meaning of this beloved carol.
First, the history. The original carol was written over 175 years ago by a secular French poet, Placide Cappeau. (You’ll never need that name again.) He was commissioned (hired) by a French Priest to write a carol for the dedication of the new church organ. The dedication was to take place on Christmas Eve, so Cappeau chose that Holy Night as his subject. After penning his new poem, he approached his friend, composer Adolphe Adams, to write a tune for the lyric. And “Minuit, Chretiens” was born. The carol became wildly popular throughout France despite the Catholic Church attempting to ban its use. Why? Because the poet was not religious, much less Catholic, and the composer was thought to be Jewish. Back then it was common for Catholics to hold anti-semitic views because they blamed the Jews for killing Jesus. As it turns out, Adams was likely not Jewish, but I digress.
The popularity of the carol spread throughout Europe, until American writer and abolitionist, John Sullivan Dwight, discovered it. He was especially moved by the theme of freedom in the last verse. The strict translation of Cappeau’s text reads:
“The Redeemer has broken every hindrance;
The earth is free and the heavens are open;
He sees a brother where there was just a slave.
Love unites those whom iron enchained”
While Cappeau’s text seems to refer to spiritual slavery, Dwight modified the lyric to make it overtly anti-human-slavery:
“Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and the gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name, all oppression shall cease.”
John Dwight’s English translation, retitled “O Holy Night” has become one of the most loved Christmas carols in the world. Why the popularity? I believe there are two reasons. First the music is incredibly powerful. It’s not written like your typical congregational song. Most hymns we sing in church have a range of 6-8 notes. With a range of an octave plus a fifth, O Holy Night takes some serious singing chops. But when done right, WOW! The other reason, though, is the depth of the text itself. Let’s look at the first verse:
“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.”
The stage is set. Do you have the picture in your mind?
“Long lay the world, in sin and error pining”
Pining is a verb that means to long for something that is unattainable. What has the world longed for? Well, for nearly 4,000 years the world, all creation, has been moaning because of man’s sin. And error, in this case, doesn’t just mean mistakes. It’s an underlying wrongness to the way mankind has been living.
“‘Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth”
There it is. This is what the world is pining after. Man is constantly searching for meaning. “Why am I here?” Without Christ, there is no objective purpose for my life. I can work my whole life to “change the world.” But to what end? I can come up with reasons and platitudes to make me feel better about my life, but when I’m fully honest, if the Bible is not true, if there is no eternity after this life, it is all worthless. BUT Christ’s coming disproves all of that. I do have worth, and not just temporal worth. I have eternal worth. Not because of anything I have done, nor have the potential to do. I have worth because of who created me. God created me (and you) and loves me enough to send His Son to pay for my sin. I have worth.
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
When I catch that glimmer of hope, that there is more beyond this life, I can move forward with purpose. The purpose He has given me – to bring glory to His name, and to reach the lost.
“Fall on your knees!”
I can think of three reasons a person might fall to their knees. One: In exhaustion. He has spent his last ounce of energy and can’t go any further. This depicts the person trying to work his way into God’s favor. It’s a never-ending futile endeavor. When you recognize Christ’s work is done, you might collapse recognizing there is no more that needs to be done. It is finished.
Two: In celebration. I’ve seen athletes fall to their knees, relishing the moment of victory. This too could be appropriate. Does it excite you, thrill you that Jesus paid for your sin? That your iniquity is pardoned?
Three: In humility. I think, this is probably the meaning that’s intended in the song. I’ve heard testimony of two individuals who have been faced with the majesty of God’s creation. One climbed to the peak of one of the tallest mountains in the USA. When they reached the top and saw the vastness of the land beneath them, it made them feel small and insignificant. They contemplated suicide. Tragic, isn’t it? The other was a thrill seeker who sky dove (sky dived?) from >24 miles. Before he lept from his capsule, he declared how small it made him feel. If just looking at the world we live in makes men feel small, how much more, when you realize that your creator humbled himself to provide a means for your salvation.
“Oh, hear the angel voices!”
Let him who has ears to hear, let him hear. What are the angel voices saying? The savior is born! Glory to God in the highest! Saying the words is one thing, but meaning it? Only those who are humbled and surrendered can do that. This is a plea to be that person.
“O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O holy night.”
“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”
Take time amid the hustle and bustle to quiet your heart and meditate on the majesty of that holy night, when Christ was born.