It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Brian Wilson Lyrics


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It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold,
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven 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 o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O 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,
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,




And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing

Overall Meaning

The song "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a Christmas carol written by Edmund H. Sears in 1849. It was initially sung to music composed by Richard Storrs Willis, but over time, it has been adapted into various musical arrangements. The song speaks about an angelic choir singing to bring peace and goodwill to all men on earth. The opening verse describes the scene of the angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold, creating a glorious song of peace that echoes across the world, stilling it in solemn stillness.


The second verse speaks of the continued presence of the angels still singing through the cloven skies, sending their heavenly music over the world's weary inhabitants, bringing comfort and joy. The third and final verse is an exhortation to those going through life's crushing loads, and to those experiencing pain, struggle and hardship. The lyrics remind them that amidst all the difficulties, there are golden hours of hope and the promise of a brighter tomorrow. The final verse ends on a note of prophetic hope, with the promise of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, reigning over a new heaven and earth, and the world singing with the angels.


Overall, the song "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a beautiful reflection on the Christmas story of the angels who announced the birth of Jesus. It celebrates the promise of peace, hope, and salvation that the coming of Jesus brings to the world. The song speaks to the longing and weariness of our human hearts and calls us to take comfort in the assurance of God’s powerful presence and care.


Line by Line Meaning

It came upon the midnight clear,
The glorious song of old arrived in the stillness of the night.


That glorious song of old,
Referring to the news of Jesus Christ's birth, the Savior of man.


From angels bending near the earth,
Heavenly beings descending from above, reaching out to touch mankind.


To touch their harps of gold,
With their instruments, they create enchanting music.


"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
They proclaim the message of peace and goodwill from the Lord."


From heavens all gracious King!"
As the Creator of all things, He shows His grace and love to mankind.


The world in solemn stillness lay
All of the earth was hushed, waiting for the angel's message.


To hear the angels sing.
To listen to the message that the angels were sharing with mankind.


Still through the cloven skies they come,
The angels are still coming down from heaven to deliver messages.


With peaceful wings unfurled,
Their presence is peaceful and calming to those below.


And still their heavenly music floats
They continue to have a message of peace and love through the music they create.


O'er all the weary world,
Their message of peace and love is spread throughout the entire world.


Above its sad and lowly plains
Their message is not just for the wealthy and powerful but for all humankind, especially those in need.


They bend on hovering wing,
The angels fly with ease, hovering over those below to share their message of hope.


And ever o'er its Babel sounds
Even with the noisy and chaotic sounds of the world, their message still rings clear.


The blessed angels sing.
They sing praises to God above and share His message of peace and love with all humankind.


O ye beneath life's crushing load,
If you are burdened with life's struggles and difficulties,


Whose forms are bending low,
If your physical and emotional wellbeing are struggling,


Who toil along the climbing way
If you struggle while trying to make progress in life,


With painful steps and slow,
If you are walking through life, struggling with pain and obstacles,


Look now, for glad and golden hours
Be hopeful because joyous and happy times are coming soon,


Come swiftly on the wing,
All the blessings are coming quickly to help you.


Oh rest beside the weary road
Take a moment and rest to gain the strength to continue your journey.


And hear the angels sing.
Listen to the message of the angels of hope and comfort, and let their music lift your spirits.


For lo! the days are hastening on,
The second coming of Jesus Christ is coming soon,


By prophets seen of old,
As foretold by ancient prophets,


When with the ever-circling years
At the end of this dispensation and the beginning of the next,


Shall come the time foretold,
The prophecy of the birth of Christ comes to pass.


When the new heaven and earth shall own
At that time, a new heaven and earth are established and known,


The Prince of Peace, their King,
Jesus Christ is crowned as the King of Peace.


And the whole world send back the song
The entire world joins in this angelic song of praise and hope,


Which now the angels sing
Which is the same song the angels have been singing to people of good will.




Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEE EVANS, TRADITIONAL, PD TRADITIONAL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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