O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie.
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets 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 this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
Credits
Unknown writer is the attributed author of this cherished Christmas poem, which has been sung as a hymn for generations across the world. The words are traditionally credited to Phillips Brooks, an American Episcopal bishop who wrote them in 1868 inspired by a visit to Bethlehem, though the text has passed into such wide, anonymous tradition that it is often listed without a named author. It remains one of the most recognisable carols of the Christmas season.
