Silent Night
Traditional 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 Savior, is born!
Christ the Savior, 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 song Silent Night, written in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber, is one of the most popular Christmas carols of all time. The song is a quiet, reflective hymn that tells the story of Jesus' birth in a manger in Bethlehem. The first verse centers on the holy night on which Jesus was born. The scene is peaceful and bright, and everything is calm. The Virgin Mary is depicted as a gentle and nurturing mother who is watching over her newborn child. The baby Jesus is also described as gentle and delicate, and it is implied that he is sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms.


In the second verse, the focus shifts to the shepherds who are watching their flocks in the fields. They are suddenly awestruck by a vision of heavenly glory. The glory of God streams down from the heavens and fills the sky, and the angels sing out “alleluia” in praise of the newborn king. It is at this moment that the shepherds realize that something miraculous has happened. The birth of Christ the Savior is an event of cosmic significance.


In the final verse, the song turns to a deeper contemplation of Jesus himself. He is described as the son of God, the source of love's pure light. The radiant beams of his holy face symbolize the dawn of a new day, of the redeeming grace that Jesus brings to the world. The song concludes by declaring Jesus to be the Lord who was born on that holy night in Bethlehem, a powerful affirmation of Jesus' divinity and his role as savior of humanity.


Line by Line Meaning

Silent night, holy night,
A peaceful and sacred night.


All is calm, all is bright
Everything is quiet and serene, with a sense of clarity.


Round yon virgin mother and child.
The virgin Mary and her newborn child are present.


Holy infant so tender and mild,
The baby Jesus is pure and innocent.


Sleep in heavenly peace.
May they rest in tranquility.


Shepherds quake at the sight,
The shepherds are afraid of what they see.


Glories stream from heaven afar,
The heavens are shining with magnificent light.


Heavenly hosts sing alleluia;
Angelic choirs sing praises to God.


Christ the Savior, is born!
The Savior, Jesus Christ, has been born.


Silent night, holy night,
Again we remember the peaceful and sacred night.


Son of God, love's pure light
Jesus, the Son of God, emanates pure love.


Radiant beams from thy holy face,
Light shines from his holy and divine face.


With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus brings salvation and redemption to the world.


Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus is recognized as Lord from his very birth.




Contributed by Lucy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Ethan Abelman

Amazing song wish there were more songs like this that show that we care for who ever is in heaven either race or culture they should be remembered

Noel Austria

Dad,merry Christmas in heaven, love you

YouTube account Dedicated

Makes me cry

Rodolfo Celi

Very nice. I had my goosebump.

Justabrit

My mother died today,and im listening to this and my eyes are full of tears.

Josh

LOL

TexasRoyalConfections

Gerald Kneeland Sr. đź’śđź’ś

Yeshua's Marshalls

I'm so sorry.I won't pretend to know how you feel.But, never forget, JESUS is always there for you...
May she rest in peace...
You are loved brother.

Rhythm Can be Fun

Be strong brother

Speck of dust !

Hope you are doing fine. ❤️ from India

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