If you think about it, Christmas stands alone as the holiday of song. They fill up the air everywhere, from shopping malls to medical clinics, restaurants and grocery stores. It’s the only time you hear songs about Jesus in public, open and free to consume with little judgement. (I wonder what would happen if songs of his death and resurrection filled the marketplace during Lent and Easter?)
Sweet baby Jesus is no real threat to Herod, no present concern to the Pharisees, no big deal to Rome (except for tax identification), and no huge thing to those immediately around Mary and Joseph on that fateful night. The town of Bethlehem was all filled up with people—people who were just trying to survive, to do what they needed to do to keep the peace with their Roman overlords. A handful of shepherds just up the way saw the skies light up, but we aren’t told that they brought a multitude of people to see Jesus. That would be later, when they knew that he had healing powers, when they knew they could use him to fill their own wanting. That’s when Jesus would become a threat. But now the cooing wouldn’t cure any chaos right away. It’s seemingly just a baby and his mom and dad trying to keep things together as best they could. But, it’s in this innocence and dependence, this vulnerability of God incarnate needing his creatures to grow him up, that our hearts burst into song! They drip off the pages of Luke’s Gospel - the song of Mary and Zechariah, of the angels, of Simeon and Anna, all echoing the songs of old – of Hannah, the Chronicles, the Psalms, and of Isaiah.
No wonder we get songs all up and down this season. We want to point you to several of these great writers of Christmas songs and hope that you are inspired by putting a name and a face to their works. (We’ve offered links to workoutyourfaith.com, a site that curates a selection of found stories and video of the “great cloud of witnesses” through the ages.)
ISAAC WATTS
(July 17, 1674 - November 25, 1748)
Writer of “Joy to the World”
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing..."
GEORGE HANDEL
(March 5, 1685 - April 14, 1759)
Writer of “Messiah”
“Hallelujah! …and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”
CHARLES WESLEY
(December 1, 1707 - March 29, 1788)
Writer of more than 6,000 hymns including “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending”, and “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”
"Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die: Born to raise the son of earth, Born to give them second birth..."
JOHN FRANCIS WADE
(April 16, 1711 - August 16, 1786)
Writer of “O Come All Ye Faithful”
"Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing..."
JOHN HENRY HOPKINS
(January 30, 1792 - January 9, 1868)
Writer of “We Three Kings”
"O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light."
FANNY CROSBY
(March 24, 1820 - February 12, 1915)
Blind from an early age, writer of more than 6,000 hymns
“Tell me the story of Jesus
write on my heart every word
tell me the story most precious
the sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how angels and sang as they welcomed his birth, glory to God in the highest, peace and good tidings on earth.”
CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
(December 5, 1830 – December 29, 1894)
Poet and social activist
“What can I give Him,
Poor as I am? —
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part, —
Yet what I can I give Him, —
Give my heart.”
JOHN WESLEY WORK JR
(August 6, 1871 – September 7, 1925)
Curator of spirituals and the one who brought us “Go Tell it on the Mountain”
"When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day
I asked the Lord to help me
And he showed me the way…"
CHARLES GABRIEL
(August 18, 1856 - September 14, 1932)
Writer of more than 7,000 songs including “Away in the Manger”
"Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay/Close by me forever, and love me, I pray..."