Lyrics
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie,
Above the deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by.
Yet in the dark streets shineth,
The everlasting light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given.
So God imparts to human hearts,
The blessings of his heaven.
We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell,
O come to us, abide with us,
The lord Emmanuel.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
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Meaning & Inspiration
“Little Town” retells the wonder of Christ’s coming through the quiet setting of Bethlehem. The sleeping town and silent stars are contrasted with the everlasting light associated with the birth of Jesus. Human hopes and fears meet in that event, and the gift arrives without spectacle. The song then turns from the town itself to the way God gives heavenly blessing and enters receptive hearts. Its final appeal for Emmanuel to abide nearby makes the carol both a nativity meditation and a prayer for Christ’s presence.
Bethlehem’s place in the lyric closely reflects Micah 5:2, which names the small Judean town as the place from which a ruler would come. The name Emmanuel recalls Matthew 1:23 and its declaration that the promised child is “God with us.” Luke 2:10–14 also stands behind the Christmas angels and their glad news. Together, these passages illuminate the carol’s movement from a humble location to the far-reaching hope announced through Christ’s birth.
Related Scripture
- Micah 5:2 The prophecy names Bethlehem as the place from which Israel’s ruler would come.
- Matthew 1:23 Jesus is called Emmanuel, meaning God with us.
- Luke 2:10-14 The angels announce the good news of Christ’s birth and praise God.