As a pianist, Eric has recorded the best-selling "Reflections" series of solo piano music for Christian Book Distributors, with sales in excess of 200,000 units. His organ work was featured on the worship project "City on a Hill - Sing Alleluia".
He is best known as a songwriter for the modern hymn, "Wonderful, Merciful Savior," written in 1989 with his wife, Dawn Rodgers. Recorded by numerous Christian artists including Selah, Phillips Craig & Dean, Kari Jobe, Anthony Evans, Kathy Troccoli, Travis Cottrell, and Clay Cross, the song received a 2002 Gospel Music Association Dove Award nomination for “Inspirational Song of the Year”. It appears in many new hymnals, including Rejoice Hymns (Majesty Music, 2011), Songs of Worship and Praise (2010, Taylor Publications), The Baptist Hymnal (2008, LifeWay Worship), Hymns for a Pilgrim People (GIA/NAACC, 2007), and Christian Life Hymnal (Hendrickson, 2006). Other songs written by Eric include "Lamb of God (Angus Dei)" recorded by BeBo Norman and his setting of the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father in Heaven", which is gaining acceptance in churches across the country.
An award-winning producer and consultant in recording and video production, Eric has worked with a variety of artists, including Keith & Kristyn Getty, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, CeCe Winans, Amy Grant, Donnie McClurkin, and Hee Haw’s LuLu Roman. In 2007, he produced a critically acclaimed full-length London recording of Handel's Messiah with British conductor John Rutter, featuring The Cambridge Singers & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Eric is married to Dawn Rodgers and resides in Brentwood, Tennessee. They have two children–John, age 18, and Anna, age 16. A native of Brattleboro, Vermont, Eric studied piano, organ, and church music at Cedarville University (Ohio), completing his undergraduate studies at Belmont University (Nashville) with a BS in Liberal Studies. He is currently pursuing graduate work in Church Music at Lee University (Cleveland, TN).
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
Eric Wyse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That glorious song of old
From Angels playing near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
Peace on the earth could will two men
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The world in solemn stillness lay
And I hear them singing
Sing, I do hear them singing
The first Noel the Angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
The opening lines of the song "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" describe a moment in time when heaven and earth were connected, and the divine and human realms intertwined. The "glorious song of old" refers to the angelic choir that sang at the birth of Jesus upon the earth. The phrase "angels playing near the earth" evokes an image of the heavenly hosts joyfully singing and playing music, celebrating the birth of the savior. The image of angels playing harps of gold adds to the beauty and majesty of the experience.
The second verse of the song describes how the message of peace that Jesus brings has the power to unite even the most disparate and divided of human beings. It speaks to the power of the message of Jesus to bring people together and to create a sense of unity and harmony. The phrase "the world in solemn stillness lay" creates an image of a peaceful and quiet world that is ready to receive the message of the angels.
The song is a beautiful expression of the Christian belief in the power of Jesus to bring peace to the world. It suggests that the message of the angels is not only relevant to the time of Jesus' birth, but also to the present day. The song affirms the belief that through Jesus, humanity can find hope, love, and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
It came upon the midnight clear
In the stillness of a dark, quiet night, a significant event occurred
That glorious song of old
The song was incredibly beautiful and has been sung for generations
From Angels playing near the earth
Angels were close to the earth and playing music
To touch their harps of gold
The Angels were playing beautiful music on their golden harps
Peace on the earth could will two men
If all people worked together to make peace, it could be possible
From Heaven's all-gracious King
The message of peace comes from a generous ruler in Heaven
The world in solemn stillness lay
The world was quiet and somber, waiting for the message of peace
To hear the Angels sing
People were listening intently to the Angels' music and message
And I hear them singing
The singer is currently hearing the Angels' song
Sing, I do hear them singing
The singer is emphasizing that they can truly hear the Angels' song
The first Noel the Angel did say
An Angel's first message about the birth of Jesus was
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
The message was directed towards poor shepherds who were resting in a field
In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep
The shepherds were resting while keeping watch over their flock of sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep
The night was dark and cold, making it a harsh environment for the shepherds
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDMUND HAMILTON SEARS, RICHARD STORRS WILLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind