It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
History
When Edmund Sears penned these somber words in 1849, it seemed that so much of his nation was wrapped up in turmoil. Fresh from the wounds of the brutal Mexican-American war, with the whispers of civil war looming on the horizon, the writer wonders where this peace that was promised is. As he laments how much we’ve missed the point, you can almost hear him crying, “Jesus our Savior has come, but we’re warring over something as petty and worldly as land?”
The song itself is based on the depiction of the angels singing “Peace on earth,” from Luke 2:14. Most telling of Sears’ intent is the third stanza which is missing from many modern hymnals. It is equal parts heartbreaking and conflict-condemning:
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.
Devotion
There are a few phrases that innately sound Christmas-y. “Peace on earth, goodwill to men,” is one of them, largely due to the popularity of this song. It’s a delightful sentiment, though perhaps misguided in the object of its promise.
If you’ve kept up with current events for more than five minutes recently, “peace” certainly isn’t a word that can be used to describe our current state. Far from it. Much like in Sears’ time, our world is being ripped apart by strife and petty battles in new and creative ways every day. Where can we find encouragement in this? The answer is in His Word, where Jesus told us it would be like this.
In John 16, Jesus is spending His last precious moments pouring into His disciples and preparing them for His imminent departure.
“Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
In Jesus’ words, He warns us of despair and tribulation, but He also encourages us: in Him we have peace. We may not have peace from physical trial and tribulation, but we have spiritual peace from the Prince of Peace who died to purchase goodwill for the souls of sinners who believe in Him.
We sing about peace a lot this time of year, but sometimes that peace is hard to find. From the hustle and bustle of the busy season to the mourning over loss and everything in between, as we sing “peace on the earth,” it sometimes feels like more of a hopeful question than a promise.
Remember what happened 2,000 years ago when a Savior was born in a humble manger: a redemptive plan was set in motion that would change the world forever. War and strife and toiling and turmoil would only increase as sin rebelled, but Jesus offers peace in Him.
This holiday season, set aside time to take Sears’ advice: hush the noise and join in the song of peace.
Related Scripture
John 16:32-33, Isaiah 26:1-12
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Lyrics
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.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.
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!
For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
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 give back the song
Which now the angels sing.