Casting Crowns – I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day

Casting crowns began as a youth worship band started by youth pastor Mark Hall.  It morphed and exploded into popularity over the years.

Casting Crowns released several albums and one EP, including:

• Casting Crowns (2001)
• What If the Whole World Prayed (2002)
• Casting Crowns (2003)
• Live from Atlanta (2004)
• Lifesong (2005)
• Lifesong Live (2006)
• The Altar and the Door (2007)
• Peace on Earth (2008)
• The Altar and the Door Live (2008)
• Until the Whole World Hears (2009)
• Until the Whole World Hears… Live (2010)
• Come to the Well (2011)
• The Acoustic Sessions: Volume One (2013)
• Thrive (2014)
• A Live Worship Experience (2015)
• Glorious Day: Hymns of Faith (2015)
• The Very Next Thing (2016)
• It’s Finally Christmas (EP, 2017)
• Only Jesus (2018)
• Voice of Truth: The Ultimate Collection (2019)
• New York Sessions (2019)
• Scars in Heaven (2021)
• Healer (2022)

Also, check out my reviews of Scars in Heaven, Who Am I, The Power of the Cross, Oh My Soul, Praise You In This Storm, Nobody, What This World Needs, and If We Are The Body.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Casting-crowns-i-heard-the-bells-on-christmas-day-lyrics.

Side Note: This song interpolates Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s song of the same name.  Although the lyrics are similar, there are enough differences that warrant Casting Crown’s version as an “original” writing.  If anyone is interested in the story behind Wadsworth’s words, select Story Behind The Song.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Bells are the central theme throughout this song. Most likely, the old-style church bells that are prevalent in European countries.  They represent the Christmas message of “peace on earth, goodwill to men”, which was originally announced by the heavenly angelic hosts amid Christ’s birth.  It is a lofty goal and seems impossible, given all the hate and destruction that plagues the earth, leading Casting Crowns to despair.  Yet, the bells persisted, piercing their inner being.  Casting Crowns realizes that God will ultimately prevail.  He will right every wrong and will see to it that righteousness prevails.  The world, which is presently saturated in darkness, will one day contain a world filled with God’s light.  Thus, “peace on earth, goodwill to men” will become reality.  Finally, Casting Crowns pushes us to follow in their footsteps.

As with many Christmas songs, it talks about the singing angels. It’s possible that the angels were singing, though the case for it is not strong (see section 2).  This affects the song’s Biblical accuracy, but not its overall message.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

Almost all if it is Biblical, except for the singing angels.  The Scriptural support for this is weak at best.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-4: As stated in section 1, they are probably the old church bells from “way back in the day”.  The carols that play are the bells specifically, not the Christmas carols that we sing.  Line 4 Includes the all-familiar phrase “peace on earth, goodwill to men”, which, according to the KJV of Luke 2:14, is stated by the angels as part of their announcement of Christ’s birth towards the shepherds.  The bells remind Casting Crowns of this truth.

[Chorus (1)]

Lines 1-4: Essentially rephrases Verse 1.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1-4: In this moment of pure bliss, Casting Crowns remembers that the world is a cruel place.  It is filled with people who have a depraved mind and do the things listed in Romans 1:28-32, practicing the “deeds of the flesh” that are listed in Galatians 5:19-21, among other sinful acts.  Casting Crowns finds it difficult to believe that there’s peace on earth and goodwill to men amid the chaos of everyday life.

[Chorus (2)]

Lines 1-4: Despite Casting Crown’s despair, they still hear the church bells ringing, wondering if anyone else is listening.  It’s almost as if the question “can anybody hear them?” is about focus.  Are we fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) or horrible circumstances?

[Bridge]

Line 1: Not that the bells were audibly louder, but that the bell’s representation, peace on earth and goodwill to men, is migrating from Casting Crowns’ head to their heart.  This message of hope resonates with them, penetrating their very soul (Hebrews 4:12).

Line 2: The first part negates Nietzche’s proposition, “God is dead”, which was popularized by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche.  He believed that enlightenment thinking would lead people away from the foundations of European morality, which was predominantly rooted in Judeo-Christian values of objective morality.  The phrase “God’s not dead” rejects this notion.  Enlightenment thinking does not necessarily lead to unbelief.  As John Lennox puts it, “I’m not remotely embarrassed to be a Christian and a scientist. In fact, it’s the other way around, because Christianity gave me my subject”.

The second part references Psalm 121:3-4.

The background singers repeat the first part of Verse 1, line 4.

Lines 3 and 4: This is the ultimate destiny of humans: Christians will inherit eternal life, within New Jerusalem on the earth (Revelation 21:1-27), while the unbelievers will inherit the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

[Verse 3]

Lines 1-4: Amid God’s eternal Kingdom on earth, Revelation 21:22-25 informs us that God’s light shines so brightly, there is no shadow, darkness, or night.

[Chorus (3)]

Lines 1-4: Essentially repeats Chorus (1), except that multiple people, including Casting Crown, hear the bells, indicating that others are transformed like Casting Crowns were.

[Outro]

Lines 1-3: A call to action, that Casting Crowns implores us to follow the path they are on.  It also contains the singing angels.

According to Luke 2:13-14, there was a multitude of angels exalting Jesus. Though there were heavenly hosts and they announced the birth of Jesus, Scripture does not support that they were singing. Take a good look at Luke 2:13. It says “saying”. It comes from the Koine Greek word “legó”, which means “to say”. That doesn’t mean that angels can’t sing (Job 38:7’s “morning stars” could be seen as angels), but the text doesn’t say that they sang.

As for the Koine Greek term Aineo (to praise), according to Bible Study Tools, praiseworthy singing is a possible translation for this word. However, no major translation translates it with singing in mind.

Lines 4-6: Essentially repeats Verse 1, line 4.

Score: 9/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The song’s opening Verse informs unbelievers that it’s a Christian Christmas song.  Peace on earth and goodwill to men is a well-known Christian lofty goal. I am confident that unbelievers will easily connect this aim with the ringing bells.

They will feel Casting Crown’s angst, that the ills of this world make it harder to believe this ideology.  Yet, Bridge’s line “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep” offers a glimmer of hope, that one day, He will make things right.  Perhaps this will resonate with those outside Christianity, that they will “hear the bells” and embrace this message: peace on earth and goodwill to men is possible, but it can only be achieved by God.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God that this song indirectly proclaims that He is ultimately responsible for peace on earth and goodwill to men.  It is only slightly veiled by this song’s weakly supported concept that the angels were singing.

Score: 9/10

Closing Comments

Casting Crowns’ I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day is an atypical Christmas song.  It doesn’t contain the usual visitation of Jesus by the Magi or shepherds, the stable, the manger, Joseph, or Mary.  Though it sneaks in the Biblically questionable singing angels, the main thrust of this song is bells that sound “peace on earth, goodwill to men”.  Though it seems unachievable given the current state of affairs, Casting Crowns holds onto hope, that God will one day put an end to the earth’s destructive ways and achieve what we cannot on our own steam, bringing Him glory.  Unbelievers should have little to no problem interpreting similarly.

This song is inspirational, but not appropriate for corporate worship.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day (listen to the song)

Artist: Casting Crowns

Album: Peace On Earth

Genre: Christmas, Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2008

Duration: 4:23

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

Updates:

12/02/2022 – Added a link to the story behind the original poem.  Thanks to Scott Burdett for suggesting it!