O Holy Night
Sarah McLachlan Lyrics


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O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
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, oh, hear the angels voices
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 light, of a star so sweetly gleaming
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

Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angels voices
O night divine, o night, when Christ was born
O night divine, 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

Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angels voices




O night divine, o night when Christ was born
O night divine, o night divine

Overall Meaning

The song O Holy Night by Sarah McLachlan is a beautiful tribute to the birth of Jesus Christ. In the first verse, McLachlan describes the setting of the first Christmas night with the stars shining bright and the feeling of hope and rebirth that the Savior's birth brings to the world. McLachlan follows this by describing the long wait for the appearance of the Lord, during which the world suffered from sin and error. When Jesus appears, McLachlan notes that the soul feels its worth, which is a recognition of the redemption and salvation that his birth brings to us.


In the second verse, McLachlan shifts focus to the adoration and worship that the Wise Men came to pay to Jesus, led by the light of faith that guided them to Him. She reminds us that despite being the King of Kings, He chose to lay in a humble manger, thus showing us the true nature of humility and love. Further, McLachlan stresses the importance of treating everyone as equals, and letting love and peace be the guiding principles of our behavior. Finally, she encourages us to sing sweet hymns of joy and praise His holy name and to fall on our knees to hear the angels' voices that proclaim the divine nature of the night on which Christ was born.


Line by Line Meaning

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
This is a sacred and wonderful night, with the stars shining brightly in the sky


It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
This is the night that our beloved Savior came into the world


Long lay the world in sin and error pining
For a very long time, the world existed in a state of sin and wrongness, longing for something better


'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
But then, the Savior came and made the souls of people feel valuable and purposeful


A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
With the arrival of the Savior, a sense of hope and joy spreads throughout the tired and exhausted world


For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
A new and wonderful morning has arrived, bringing with it a sense of greatness and magnificence


Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angels voices
Everyone should kneel down and listen to the angelic voices calling out


O night divine, o night, when Christ was born
This is a holy and sacred night, when the great Christ was born


Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
Guided by their faith, people move calmly and peacefully towards a light in the distance


With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
Filled with love, our hearts stand beside the Savior's cradle


So led by light, of a star so sweetly gleaming
The light of a beautiful and gentle star guides us along


Come the Wise Men from Orient land
Wise travelers come from faraway lands to visit the Savior


The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
Even though He is the King of kings, the Savior is lying in a humble manger


In all our trials born to be our friend
Despite all of the challenges we face, the Savior was born to be our companion and confidant


Truly He taught us to love one another
Indeed, the Savior's teaching focused on loving each other


His law is love and His gospel is peace
His teachings are centered on love and peace as core values


Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
The Savior will break the chains that bind us and will remind us that slaves are our siblings


And in his name all oppression shall cease
By invoking the Savior's name, all forms of oppression will come to an end


Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
We sing joyful songs of gratitude in a united chorus


Let all within us praise His holy name
Everyone inside of us should offer praise to His holy name


Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angels voices
We should get down on our knees and listen carefully to the angelic voices calling out


O night divine, o night when Christ was born
This is a holy and sacred night, when Christ, the Savior, was born


O night divine, o night divine
This is truly a holy and sacred night




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sarah Mclachlan, Traditional, Pierre Marchand

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Jaded Hart


on In The Arms Of The Angels

This will surely make you cry! Everyone can identify with this song! Hear it you won't regret it. And maybe you'll remember!

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