It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

Christmas Carol 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, good will to men,
From heaven's all gracious King!
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats,
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing.
And ever o'er its Babel sounds,
The blessed angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife,
The world hath 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.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When, with the ever-circling years,
Shall come the Age of Gold;
When peace shall over all the earth,
Its ancient splendors fling,
And all the world give back the song,
Which now the angels sing.

About This Carol

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear stands out among Christmas carols for its focus on peace and reflection, rather than retelling the Nativity story directly. The lyrics were written in 1849 by Edmund H. Sears, a Unitarian minister in Massachusetts. At the time, the world was experiencing political unrest and societal tension, and Sears penned the poem as a message of hope and divine peace in troubled times.

What makes this carol especially poignant is its emphasis on the song of the angels - the idea that heaven’s message of “peace on the earth, goodwill to men” is still relevant, and still needed. It calls listeners to quiet their hearts and listen amid the noise of the world.

The music most commonly associated with the lyrics in the United States was composed by Richard Storrs Willis, while in the UK, a different tune by Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) is often used. Both melodies beautifully complement the carol’s calm and contemplative mood.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear may not have the grandeur of other hymns or the jingle of modern Christmas songs, but its quiet power lies in its message. It reminds us that even in uncertain times, the spirit of Christmas calls us to kindness, stillness, and hope.

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