David Phelps - O Holy Night Lyrics
Lyrics
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Chorus
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine.
O night when Christ was born.
O night divine
O night, o night divine.
Truly He taught us to love one another.
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Chorus
Video
Bill & Gloria Gaither - O Holy Night (Live) ft. David Phelps
Meaning & Inspiration
David Phelps' rendition of "O Holy Night," featured on his 2011 compilation album *The Best of David Phelps*, stands as a powerful testament to the enduring message of Christmas. This timeless carol, at its core, articulates the profound shift from spiritual darkness to illuminating hope brought by the birth of Christ. The lyrics beautifully capture a world languishing under the weight of sin and error, a state vividly described in Isaiah 9:2, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of shadow, on them has light shined." Phelps' delivery imbues this line with a palpable sense of spiritual awakening, a "thrill of hope" that resonates deeply as the song declares the arrival of a "new and glorious morn." This is the dawn spoken of in Luke 1:78-79, where the "tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." The chorus, urging listeners to "fall on your knees" and "hear the angel voices," directly echoes the celestial announcement of Jesus' birth to the shepherds in Luke 2:10-14, where the angel proclaims "good news of great joy for all the people," accompanied by a heavenly host praising God.
Beyond the immediate narrative of the Nativity, "O Holy Night" expands to encompass the transformative social and spiritual implications of Christ's coming. The second verse highlights Christ's teaching, stating, "Truly He taught us to love one another. His law is love and His gospel is peace." This directly reflects Jesus' own summation of the Law in Matthew 22:39-40, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," and His promise of peace found in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you." Furthermore, the lyrics powerfully declare, "Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease." This is a direct theological articulation of Christ's redemptive mission, aligning with passages such as Isaiah 61:1, where the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him to "proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound." The breaking of chains speaks to liberation from sin and every form of human bondage, fulfilling the prophecy that in His name, true freedom would be found. Phelps’ rendition of these verses invites a deep contemplation of how the message of Christmas calls us to active love, justice, and the dismantling of oppression, fostering a "grateful chorus" that celebrates the profound and comprehensive redemption offered through Christ.