Silent Night, Holy Night

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Luke 2:8-18

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Winter Rose Poinsettias | Cypress, TX | December 2022

Our church will host five (5) Christmas Eve services on December 24. People will gather at 2:00; 4:00; 6:00; 8:00; and 10:00 PM. We’ll use candles at all services – LED candles for the children, and real ones for the older folks. At the end of the service we’ll sing Silent Night as the lights are lowered throughout the church, and the candles are lit. The mood will be delightful. Peaceful. Restful. Reflective. Rich in grace.

Like several very favorite Christmas carols, this song warms the hearts of many people. Unlike some others, however, we don’t have to debunk some of the inaccuracies in this song. It’s solid in fact, allowing for the poetic language “Radiant beams from thy holy face.”

Some other popular songs stray from the clear and unassailable truth revealed in Scripture. For example, We Three Kings: Were there three? Were they actually kings? The biblical evidence does not support an absolute answer to the first, and indicates that they were magi, not kings. And although it’s a favorite, my belief is that the Little Lord Jesus did cry, just like all babies. He was sinless, but it’s no sin to cry. That’s how babies communicate. And there is no evidence that the shepherds looked up and saw a star. That was the magi.

But hear well, this song gets it right.

• Holy infant: Check.
• Virgin Mother: Check
• Shepherds quake: Check
• Glories stream from heaven: Check
• Heavenly host sing: Check
• Christ the Savior is born: Check
• Son of God: Check
• Love’s pure light: Check
• Jesus is Lord: Check

Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Jesus Lord on the cross. Jesus Lord over death and the grave. Jesus Lord at the end of all time. Jesus Lord, confessed by all in the life of the world to come. What a beautiful truth to remember this Christmas!

Silent Night, Holy Night

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Christ, the Savior, is born!

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Text: Public domain