O Little Town of Bethlehem

Philips Brooks 1835-1893 Lewis H. Redner 1831-1908

United States: Brooks was a pastor and wrote the lyrics for a children's Christmas pageant in 1868. He had visited the Holy Land in 1865. Redner was the church's organist and Sunday School superintendent. Redner claims the melody for this song came to him while he was sleeping the night before the play. To hear the music for this hymn click on the button. Choose Traditional #29. Then click on this page.

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee (lie/light).
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark street (shining/shineth),
The everlasting light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond'ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
and peace to men on Earth.

How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is giv'n!
so God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His heav'n.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in (the/this) world of sin;
where meek souls will receive Him still,
the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!





Thank-you to J. S. Magic for the graphics