The beloved Christmas hymn “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” was written in 1849 by Edmund Sears, a Unitarian minister from Massachusetts. Though written over 170 years ago, this hymn’s powerful message and imagery continue to be a part of Christmas hymnody.
The opening stanza paints the scene of Jesus’ birth occurring amid darkness and weariness, yet the angelic announcement of Christ’s arrival fills the night air with joy and light:
“It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold;
‘Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven’s all-gracious King.’
The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing.”
The “glorious song of old” echoes the chorus of angels in Luke 2:14 who proclaimed at Jesus’ birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”- the long-awaited Savior and Prince of Peace had arrived! Though descending into a world gripped in darkness, Jesus came as the Light, offering hope, joy, and reconciliation between God and humanity.
However, this age-old announcement of Christ’s arrival finds us today still struggling in gloom and conflict:
“And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow,
Look now! For glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing!”
Just as the angels’ song encouraged the weary shepherds to keep watch so long ago, so Sears reminds us to pause in our weariness and labor to “rest beside the weary road” and hear again of Jesus’ birth that the “golden hours” of salvation and life have arrived! For Christ was born that we might exchange our burdens for his lightness of being (Matthew 11:30). The eternal, all-gracious King has come from heaven to walk life’s dusty roads alongside us!
The final stanzas strike an especially poignant chord, calling us to silence the noise and conflict around and within so that we might hear heaven’s song again:
“For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years comes round the age of gold;
when peace shall over all the earth, its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world gives back the song which now the angels sing.”
These lines reference the ancient prophecies of Isaiah 9 and 11, which foretell that Jesus would rule an everlasting Kingdom of peace and righteousness. Sears reminds us that though we only celebrate Christ’s birth one season a year, the redemption he initiated unfolds daily, bringing heaven’s peace to earth as it finds residence in believing hearts.
May the strains of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” lead us to quiet our hearts this Christmas season. As we push aside frenzy and frustration, we’ll hear again the age-old yet ever-new song the angels sang in the stillness of that holy night: “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and goodwill towards mankind.” And as we welcome Jesus, we become the dwelling place where heaven’s ancient song sounds once more.
Josh Cehulik 