O Holy Night
John Michael Montgomery Lyrics


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O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
[Chorus]
Fall on your knees
Oh, hear the angel voices
O night divine
Oh, the night when Christ was born

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by the light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend

[Chorus]

O night divine
O holy night
O night divine

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name

[Chorus]

O night divine




O holy night
O night divine

Overall Meaning

The song "O Holy Night" by John Michael Montgomery is a beautiful interpretation of the classic Christmas hymn. The lyrics describe the night of Christ's birth and the significance of this event for humanity. The opening lines set the scene for the birth of Jesus, with the stars shining brightly in the sky. The lyrics then go on to describe how the world had been lost in sin and despair until the arrival of Jesus, who gave new meaning to human existence. The soul's worth was truly felt when Jesus came into the world, and this is a major theme of the song.


The lyrics of the chorus are particularly powerful, using imagery that invites the listener to feel the wonder of the night. The angels' voices urge us to fall on our knees in awe of Christ's birth, as the night itself takes on a divine and holy meaning. The song then describes the arrival of the wise men, led by the star that pointed them towards the newborn King. In all his humility, he is born in a manger, yet he will grow to become the friend of all those who encounter him. Finally, the song reminds us of the importance of love and peace, which are at the heart of Jesus' teachings. This is a message that remains as relevant today as ever before.


Line by Line Meaning

The stars are brightly shining
The sky is full of bright shining stars


It is the night of the dear Savior's birth
Tonight is the night when our dear Savior was born


Long lay the world in sin and error pining
For a long time, the world was lost and stuck in sin and mistakes


Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
Then Jesus appeared and our souls realized their true value


A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
A feeling of hope brings joy to a tired soul


For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
A beautiful new morning is dawning over there


Fall on your knees
Kneel down in reverence


Oh, hear the angel voices
Listen to the voices of the angels


O night divine
What a holy and special night


Oh, the night when Christ was born
That beautiful night when our beloved Christ was born


Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
Guided by the light of our faith which shines calmly


With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
Our hearts are filled with love as we stand by His crib


So led by the light of a star sweetly gleaming
We followed the bright and sweetly gleaming star


Here come the wise men from Orient land
The wise men from Orient land are arriving


The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
The King of kings was lying in a humble manger


In all our trials born to be our friend
He was born to be our friend and support us in all our problems


Truly He taught us to love one another
He taught us to truly love and care for each other


His law is love and His gospel is peace
Love is His law and peace is His message


Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother
He will break the chains of slavery because that slave is our brother


And in His name all oppression shall cease
All kinds of oppression shall end in His name


Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
We joyfully sing sweet hymns to thank Him


Let all within us praise His holy name
Let everything within us glorify and praise His holy name




Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Ultra Tunes, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Adolphe Charles Adam

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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