Today is “Discernment in Music” (DiM) day here at Faithful Stewardship (2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (ESV)).

For the next few weeks, we will take a break from the top-20 lists and focus on Holiday music. As it turns out, there are a lot of bad “Christmas” songs out there, the world cranks out its versions a lot faster and with a lot better production. There are some good ones and I want to focus on those. What makes a good Christmas song? The focus of the song must be Jesus Christ. In fact, a good Christmas song hold meaning and significance all year. A Christmas song becomes a holiday song when singing it outside of the “Christmas season” rings hallow, like “O Christmas Tree” or “Jingle Bells”… those songs are about the holiday, not the Holy One. Today’s song is “Oh What a Glorious Night” by Sidewalk Prophets. This song popped up as I was looking for the Linus clip for yesterday’s post, and I was so excited to hear a good Christmas song that I knew we should share it today.

Music Videos

I couldn’t find an “Official” video for the song, but I liked this fan lyric video because they included stills from the Linus monologue. What I did find from the band was a “behind the song” video that I thought was a good way to hear what the artist (Sidewalk Prophets) was meaning to convey in this song. We’ll look at the Scriptural account after the lyrics.

Lyrics (via MetroLyrics)

What A Glorious Night

“What A Glorious Night” was written by Brown, Casey / Smith, Jonathan Lindley / Mcdonald, Ben / Frey, David.

The shepherds came to
See the baby
Stood by his mother’s side
Here laid the Savior
Inside a manger
Oh what a glorious night
Oh what a glorious night

I hear the angels singing halleluiah
Let the earth receive her king
I know that love has come
Singing it out
Jesus Christ is born
Jesus Christ is born
Yeah

The shepherds wondered
They couldn’t hide it
Told everyone in sight
All were amazed
When they heard how
God came down on the glorious night
God came down on this glorious night

I hear the angels singing halleluiah
Let the earth receive her king
I know that love has come
Singing it out
Jesus Christ is born
Jesus Christ is born
Yeah

Glorious
Glorious
What a Glorious night

Glorious
Glorious
What a Glorious night

I hear the angels singing halleluiah
Let the earth receive her king
I know that love has come
Singing it out
Jesus Christ is born

I hear the angels singing halleluiah
Let the earth receive her king
I know that love has come
Singing it out
Jesus Christ is born
I heard that Jesus Christ is born
Yeah Yeah Yeah

All is calm now
All is quiet
A Star shining in the sky
Below in Bethlehem
The king is sleeping
Oh What a Glorious Night
Oh What a Glorious Night

Songwriters
BROWN, CASEY / SMITH, JONATHAN LINDLEY / MCDONALD, BEN / FREY, DAVID

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Positive Elements

This song is about a specific event in Scripture… what’s not to like about that? Great job. Let’s read about the event.

Luke 2:8-21 (ESV)

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

²¹ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The song progresses to a lead-in for the visit of the wise men from the east with its mention of the star. Let’s look in Matthew 2 for that reference.

Matthew 2:1-11 (ESV)

The Visit of the Wise Men

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

⁶ “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” ⁹ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹ And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

The star led the wise men from the east to the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us.

Conclusion

It’s a solid song, I really have no concerns with it whatsoever. I’d like to hear this song played more often, throughout the year. If you’re planning a Christmas Cantata, do consider this song.

To God be the glory, Amen.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge