“But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.” Matthew 2:6
Many hymns that were originally written for children have captured the imagination of people of any age. Such is the case with “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Phillips Brooks wrote this Christmas hymn for the Sunday school children of his Philadelphia church, Holy Trinity following a visit to the Holy Land in 1865. Phillips was a beloved and respected evangelist who served in churches in Philadelphia and Boston. He was a giant of a man, who stood 6 feet 8 inches. He had a big heart that endeared him to old and young alike. He never married, but other people’s children became like a family to him.
As the story goes, on Christmas Eve, Brooks rode on horseback for the six mile journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. He wrote: “Before dark we rode out of town to the field where they say the shepherds saw the star. It is a fenced piece of ground with a cave in it, in which, strangely enough, they put the shepherds….Somewhere in those fields we rode through, the shepherds must have been. As we passed, the shepherds were still ‘keeping watch over their flocks,’ or leading them home to fold.” Brooks participated in the Christmas Eve service, conducted in Constantine’s ancient basilica, The Church of the Nativity (325 AD), built over the traditional site of Jesus’ birth. The service lasted from 10 PM to 3 AM! Writing to the children of his congregation, he recalled that visit: “I remember especially on Christmas Eve, when I was standing in the old church in Bethlehem, close to the spot where Jesus was born, when the whole church was ringing hour after hour with the splendid hymns of praise to God, how again and again it seemed as if I could hear voices I knew well, telling each other of the wonderful night of the Savior’s birth.”
Three years later, remembering that experience, Brooks wrote the words to this beautiful song for the children’s choir of his church. The organist put music to the lyrics and on Christmas Eve, 1868, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was sung for the first time!
Bethlehem means “House of Bread,” it was also the “City of David.” This is where Samuel, the prophet, anointed David to be king over Israel. Then, in the book of Micah, the prophet predicts the Messiah would come from this small unimportant town! “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Michal 5:2. When Jesus was born, Bethlehem was a tiny village. This was God’s plan. Jesus didn’t choose to come with crowds celebrating the news, He chose to come humbly with the host of heaven proclaiming His birth! He was the only one who could choose where he would be born and he choose a stable in Bethlehem, not the palace in Jerusalem!
“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.
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, their great glad tidings tell
O come to us abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!”
The Hope of the World stands ready to offer eternal life to you at this most wonderful time of the year!
Your friend, Jean