O Holy Night
Jann Arden (Holiday) Lyrics
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It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night divine
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by a light, a star so sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friends
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
Noel, Noel
O night when Christ was born
The opening line of the song, "O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining" evokes a sense of wonder and awe, as the scene is set for the birth of Jesus Christ. The second line, "It is the night of our dear Savior's birth" reinforces the theme of the song - that this is a special night, with significant meaning for Christians. The next line, "Long lay the world in sin and error pining," recalls the idea of original sin - that humanity was born with a natural inclination towards sinfulness, and needed redemption. The following line, "Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth," harks to the idea that Christ's birth heralded a new era of salvation, hope, and redemption, where humanity could reconnect with the divine.
The next two lines continue this theme of redemption and salvation, as "A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices / For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." The idea is that the birth of Christ brought new hope and light to a world that had been plagued by darkness, sin, and despair. The chorus then return, with the iconic line, "Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices," which highlights the humble, reverent nature of the event. The rest of the chorus repeats the word "divine," emphasizing the supernatural importance of the night.
The second verse shifts focus slightly, as "Led by the light of faith serenely beaming / With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand." This verse emphasizes the devotion and faith of the wise men, who came from afar to witness the birth of Christ. The next line, "So led by a light, a star so sweetly gleaming," is a clear reference to the Star of Bethlehem, which was said to have guided the wise men to the manger. The next line, "Here come the wise men from Orient land," reminds us of the international significance of Christ's birth - even foreigners recognized the importance of this event. The next line, "The King of Kings lay thus lowly manger" emphasizes the humble setting of Christ's birth, and the idea that even a king would come down from his throne to be with the people. The final line, "In all our trials born to be our friends," is a reminder that Christ was not only a divine savior, but a friend to humanity, who could understand and relate to our human struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
On this holy night, the stars are shining so brightly in the sky
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
This is the night when our beloved Savior is born
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
For a long time, the world has been lost in sin and confusion
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
But when He (Christ) appeared, our souls were awakened and we realized our value and worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
The world, tired and hopeless, feels a sense of excitement and joy
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
A new and wonderful morning is dawning in the distance
Fall on your knees
Kneel down in reverence and awe
O hear the angel voices
Listen to the beautiful voices of the angels
O night divine
This is a truly divine and magical night
O night when Christ was born
The night when our Savior, Christ, was born
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
Guided by the light of faith, shining calmly and peacefully
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
In our hearts, glowing with love, we stand by the cradle of Christ
So led by a light, a star so sweetly gleaming
We are led by a gentle, shining star
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The wise men are arriving from the lands of the Orient
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger
The King of kings sleeps in a humble manger
In all our trials born to be our friends
Christ was born to be our friend, to support us in all our troubles
Noel, Noel
Sing out, sing out!
O night when Christ was born
The night when our Savior, Christ, was born
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROGER WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind