Sidewalk Prophets – Hope Was Born This Night

It’s that time of year again, when we prepare meals and entertainment for family we haven’t seen in months, frantically and impatiently fill our shopping carts to wrap gifts before the big day. It is also a time to remember why Jesus was born.  This website celebrates His birth by reviewing several Christmas songs, starting with Sidewalk Prophets’ Hope Was Born This Night.

Sidewalk Prophets is an American Contemporary Christian band that became active in 2003.  They released six albums and one EP, including:

• Sidewalk Prophets (2003)
• You Love Me Anyway (EP) (2007)
• These Simple Truths (2009)
• Live Like That (2012)
• Merry Christmas to You (2013)
• Something Different (2015)
• The Things That Got Us Here (2020)

They received a GMA Dove Award for New Artist of the Year in 2010 and were nominated for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year  for These Simple Truths that same year, Group of the Year in 2011, and Song of the Year  for Live Like That in 2013.

Also, check out my review of You Love Me Anyway.

Lyrics can be found at https://www.wcicfm.org/song/hope-is-born-this-night.

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?

Hope for mankind, that is, Jesus, was born. He brought with Him tranquility and calm, like a field after a light snowfall. The world glorifies and worships Him. Sidewalk Prophets offers their personal experience of angelic beings, as they repeat the sounding joy.

My sole minor criticism is the first three lines. It makes it sound as though the star that Sidewalk Prophets saw is the same one that the Magi followed, yet, have offered nothing to substantiate this claim.

Score: 9/10

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

Most of it is Scriptural except for its opening lines.

This song does not contain a Verse/Chorus/Bridge structure.  Therefore, I assigned stanzas to each paragraph.

[Stanza 1]

Lines 1-4: How does Sidewalk Prophets know that the star they saw is the same, exact star that the Magi (also called wise men) followed to Bethlehem to see Jesus? I am sure that it was beautiful.

When Sidewalk prophets say that “hope was born this night”, they reference Jesus, who is the source of hope (Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 8:24-39, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, and 1 Peter 1:3-6).

Finally, there is room to think that the star appeared on the same day that Jesus was born. According to Matthew 2:1-2, the Magi appeared to Herod and inquiring of him where the “King of the Jews” was born. This took place after Jesus was born, which tells us that the Magi had been following the star for some time. The text doesn’t make this point 100% clear, but there is also not sufficient evidence to reject it either.

[Stanza 2]

Lines 1-3: I’m not sure if any of you have taken the time to examine your backyard after a steady, silent snowfall, but I’d have to agree with Sidewalk Prophets on this one.  There is a peace that comes from basking in this moment, which revives my soul.  Jesus’ embrace is similarly peaceful (Matthew 11:28-30, John 14:27, John 16:33, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, and James 3:17 ) and undeserved (Luke 18:9-14, Acts 13:39, Romans 3:20-30, Romans 4:1-7, Romans 8:3, Romans 9:16, Romans 9:31-32, Romans 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:10-12, Galatians 3:21, Galatians 5:2-4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Philippians 3:3-9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 6:1-2, and James 2:10-11).

Line 4: Essentially repeats Stanza 1, line 4.

[Stanza 3]

Lines 1 and 2: Quotes from Luke 2:14.

Line 3: That is, let every knee bow and confess Jesus as Lord (Isaiah 45:43, Romans 14:11, and Philippians 2:10-11).

Line 4: Essentially repeats Stanza 1, line 4.

[Stanza 4]

Lines 1-3: The Christmas bells and choir are symbols for praise.  The ancient of days phrasing comes from Daniel 7:9.

Line 4: Repeats Verse 1, line 4.

[Stanza 5]

Lines 1-3: I can only assume that Sidewalk Prophets personally experienced this for themselves.  If so, I’ll give this a pass, as they are rejoicing over an experience similar to that of Luke 2:9.

Line 4: Essentially repeats Stanza 1, line 4.

[Stanza 6]

Lines 1-4: Repeats Stanza 3.

[Stanza 7]

Line 1: Gloria is Latin for “glory”.

Lines 2-3 Repeats/essentially repeats line 1.

[Stanza 8]

Lines 1-3: Repeats Stanza 7, lines 1-3.

[Stanza 9]

Lines 1-4: Repeats Stanza 3.

[Stanza 10]

Lines 1-4: Repeats Stanza 3.

[Stanza 11]

Lines 1 and 2: Combines Stanza 1, line 4 with Stanza 3, line 4 as a single sentence.

Score: 9/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will think this is a Christmas song that celebrates Jesus’ birth.  They are familiar with the wise men, star, shepherds, angels, and “glory to God in the highest”.  The jury’s out on their skepticism concerning Sidewalk Prophets seeing the same star that the Magi did.

Score: 9/10

4. What does this song glorify?

Aside from the song’s opening lines, this song celebrates and glorifies Jesus’ birth literally, asking the entire world to remember the reason for the season.

Score: 9/10

Closing Comments

Sidewalk Prophets’ Hope Was Born This Night is mostly good. It reminds us that Jesus is the hope of the world; a King that the three wise men found by following a star and led the angels to rejoice. We too, as His creation, echo the angelic sentiments by worshipping Him. These bring Him glory. However, I do not believe that Sidewalk Prophets saw the same star that the Magi did. Unbelievers will probably agree with me. They will also likely understand the general gist of this song, that is, Christians worship Jesus because He gives them hope.

I have mixed feelings concerning its corporate worship usage.  On the one hand, it calls Christians to glorify Christ.  On the other, the opening lines are likely erroneous, and the whole song seems more like a testimonial to hear than something Christians would sing together during a church service.

Final Score: 9/10

Artist Info

Track: Hope Was Born This Night (listen to the song)

Artist: Sidewalk Prophets

Album: Merry Christmas To You

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2013

Duration: 3:55

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