Edmund Sears – It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Edmund Hamilton Sears was an American Unitarian pastor who authored many works, including:

•  Fire-side Colloquies (1847)
• Regeneration (1853)
• Calm on the Listening Ear of Night
• Pictures of the Olden Time (1857)
• Athanasia (1858)
• Sermons and Songs of the Christian Life (1875)

He is most famous for his hymn It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, which was originally written to express Sears’ concerns about the social unrest that preluded the American Civil War.

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?

Almost the entire song is centered around the angels who visited the shepherds watching over their flocks by night. There are many details about these events that are correct/likely correct, while others are possible, but are poetic licenses added by Sears that do not affect the song’s overall message.

Correct or Probably Correct

• Angels visited the shepherds in the middle of the night
• The angel’s message was “peace on earth, goodwill to men”, which will be brought about through Christ.
• The angels had wings (based on other angelic beings who also have wings, but technically not stated in Luke’s account)

Poetic License

• The angels were singing (I’ve talked about this several times in previous reviews)
• The angels played with golden harps
• The angels were flying

After the song finishes retelling this glorious event, it tells us that some people have either forgotten or ignored the angel’s message of “peace on earth, goodwill to men” by violating God’s laws and going to war with each other.  Still, Christians are warned not to forget this message, as we look forward to the day that we enter eternal life.  Until then, we can find rest for our heavy-laden lives, heavily implying Jesus as the source of rest.

Score: 10/10

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

As listed in section 1, parts of the lyrics align with Scripture, and other parts are poetic license (possible, but unsupported in scripture).

This song is public domain.

[Verse 1]

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold;

These opening lines tell us that Sears references the events in Luke 2:8-14.

According to Luke 2:7-8, the shepherds were watching over their flocks during the night that Jesus was born.  When Sears says “midnight”, he does not say that Jesus was born at precisely 12:00.  Rather, He was born in the middle of the night.

One of my most common complaints in Christmas lyrics reviews is the singing angels, which also appears here.  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.

Finally, nowhere in the Luke 2 passage does it say that the angels played harps or any other instrument amid announcing Christ’s birth.  maybe they did, but it’s not Biblically supported.

“Peace on the earth, good will to men
From heaven’s all-gracious King” –

According to Luke 2:14, the first part is the message that many angels stated.  The second part tells us that a King will usher in this peace and goodwill, that is, Jesus.

The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

See commentary on Verse 1, lines 1-4.

[Verse 2]

Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,

Many angelic creatures have wings, including:

• Cherubim (Exodus 25:20, Exodus 37:9, 1 Kings 6:27, 1 Kings 8:6-7, 2 Chronicles 3:11-13, and Ezekiel 10:8-19)
• Seraphim (Isaiah 6:2)
• Possibly the four living creatures, if they are angelic beings (Ezekiel 1:5-25)

Also, according to Luke 2:15, when the angels were done, they ascended to heaven.  How did they do that without wings?  Although the Luke 2 passage doesn’t specifically say that these angels had wings, it seems reasonable to think that these angels had outstretched wings that helped them depart to heaven.

And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;

See commentary on Verse 1, lines 1 and 4.

Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,

This is another detail that is possible, but not supported in Scripture.  While many of us have a mental image of the angels flying while singing their wonderful song, the announcing angel was standing according to Luke 2:9.  Luke 2:13 says the other angels “appeared with the angel”, which seems to support that they were standing instead of flying.

And ever o’er its Babel-sounds

The word “babbling” comes from the Biblical account in Genesis 11:1-9, where God confused the languages of people so that they would disperse and follow God’s command to fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28).  While I initially thought that the angels were babbling, the antecedent of “its” is the weary world.  Thus, we are the ones babbling with confusion.

The blessed angels sing.

Repeats Verse 1, line 8.

[Verse 3]

But with the woes of sin and strife
The world has 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,

Despite the fantastic procession that was the angels 2,000 or so years ago, Sears 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.  Sears remembers that many in the world turn a blind eye to “peace on earth, goodwill to men” amid war and chaos.

And hear the angels sing!

Repeats Verse 1, line 8.

[Verse 4]

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing; –
Oh, rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing!

This is an appeal to Christians who experience spiritual warfare (Matthew 4:1-11, Romans 7:14-25, Ephesians 6:12-17, and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5), struggling to keep on the straight and narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:23-25), that they should remember that one day, suffering will cease (Revelation 21:4).  In the meantime, God provides rest for our weary souls (Matthew 11:28-30).  We should never forget the message of the angels, that there will be peace on earth and goodwill to men.

Score: 8/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The song’s first Verse, which mentions the singing angels and “peace on earth, goodwill to men” are commonly understood as Christian Christmas elements.  Despite the song’s heavy use of more sophisticated language, there are enough common words that most (if not all) unbelievers should be able to figure out Sears’ message.  However, “sin” to most of them is merely making mistakes, not lawbreaking.

Score: 9/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God that this song reminds us of the promise of eternal life, where peace on earth and goodwill to men will one day occur when New Jerusalem is ushered in.  Until this, and amid this sin-stained world, we can find rest in Jesus.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Edmund Sears’ It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is pretty good.  Although Sears takes poetic license at times, its overall message is clear: Despite the messiness of the current world, Christ will one day bring about peace on earth and goodwill to men.  This brings Him glory.  Unbelievers should be able to figure this out, even if they have to think a little bit to comprehend it.

While I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship, as it doesn’t proclaim back to God His value and worth, I wouldn’t be opposed to singing it during a Christmas Eve service, or hearing it as part of a Christmas pageant.

Final Score: 9/10

Artist Info

Track: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (listen to Johnny Mathis’ version of this song)

Artist: Edmund Sears

Album: N/A

Genre: Christmas, Hymn

Release Year: 1849

Duration: N/A

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