Silent Night
The Canadian Tenors Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace




Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth"

Overall Meaning

The Canadian Tenors' rendition of "Silent Night" is a touching and tranquil interpretation of the classic Christmas carol. The first verse sets the scene for a calm and peaceful night, describing the Virgin Mary and her child, who is called a Holy Infant. The second verse introduces the shepherds who are visited by angels singing praises of the birth of Christ. The final verse honors the Son of God as a source of love's pure light and dawning redeeming grace.


The song's lyrics were written by a Catholic priest named Joseph Mohr in 1816 and originally composed in German as "Stille Nacht". Later, the music was added by a schoolmaster named Franz Xaver Gruber. The carol quickly became popular and was translated into various other languages, becoming one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time.


Line by Line Meaning

Silent night, holy night
A peaceful and sacred night devoid of noise and chaos


All is calm, all is bright
Everything is relaxed and peaceful, as if illuminated by a bright light


Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Mary and her child are surrounded by love and protection


Holy Infant so tender and mild
The baby is pure, innocent, and gentle


Sleep in heavenly peace
Rest in a peaceful and divine manner


Shepherds quake at the sight
The shepherds are filled with awe and wonder at what they are seeing


Glories stream from heaven afar
The sights and sounds of heaven are approaching from a great distance


Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Angelic beings sing a hymn of praise to the Lord


Christ, the Saviour is born
The long-awaited Messiah has come into the world


Son of God, love's pure light
Jesus is the divine source of pure love and goodness


Radiant beams from Thy holy face
Jesus' holy countenance shines with an otherworldly light


With the dawn of redeeming grace
The arrival of Jesus signals the beginning of God's plan to save humanity from sin


Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Christ is being hailed as the Lord and Savior even at his birth




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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