Where Did “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Come From?
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” began as a poem, written by Rector Phillips Brooks in 1868 for his church’s Sunday School class in Philadelphia. The church organist Lewis H. Redner set the poem to music, and congregations have sung about the town’s “deep and dreamless sleep” ever since.
(For a refresher on the lyrics, check out Jon Reddick’s performance of the Christmas classic in Episode 1 of QAVA’s 4-part advent series, Echoes of Emmanuel.)
Along with its moving melody, “O Little Town” skilfully captures foundational truths of the Christian faith. For instance, verse one’s final lines make this joyful claim: “the hopes and fears of all the years / are met in thee tonight.”
God’s Plan, Jesus’ Purpose
From His humble birth to a joyous resurrection, Jesus embodied God’s passion for people the world overlooks. While dining with tax collectors (Luke 19:5) and dealing graciously with a woman accused of adultery (John 8:7-11), He proved over and over how powerfully God’s mercy can rewrite stories of brokenness and shame.
Jesus Presents Lasting Peace
Christ’s birth also fulfilled the hopes of prophecies in the Old Testament, a ruler who would “stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord” and “be [Israel’s] peace” (Micah 5:2-5). As a descendant of King David, Jesus met the hopes and fears that God’s people had held for generations, questions of security, identity, and God’s favor.
While many thought the prophecies foretold an earthly king, Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem signaled that reconciliation with God would come not in earthly might but in heavenly humility. By coming to live as one of us, Jesus led by example, coming “not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45).
New Life from an Old Story
Finally, while we sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” primarily during Advent, the song’s last verse directly connects Christ’s birth in ancient times to the new life we have through faith. Next time you sing this carol, we hope you’ll take in the powerful truth and vulnerability of those final lines, “cast out our sin and enter in; / be born in us today.”
More Joy, More Hope, More Advent
The songs and Scriptures of Advent have so much to teach us if we are willing to listen! If you’re looking for a way to draw closer to God this December, we invite you to join us each Sunday for worship and reflection in our first Advent series, Echoes of Emmanuel—now streaming on QAVA.
In each episode, we’ll unpack a different Christmas carol complete with teaching from Pastors Shannon Scott and Curtis Zackery (CZ) and spectacular musical performances from beloved artists Christy Nockels and Jon Reddick.
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Pastor Shannon Scott shares the Gospel as expressed in “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and reminds us of God’s plan to bring peace to the restless and hope in place of despair. Afterward, don’t miss Jon Reddick’s all-new performance!
