Reformation Lutheran Church A Congregation of the ELCA

February 16, 2018

What Child Is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the king, who shepherds guard and angels sing;
haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear; for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you;
hail, hail  the Word made flesh, the babe, the son of Mary.

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh; come, peasant, king, to own him.
The King of kings salvation brings; let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise the song on high, the virgin sings her lullaby;
joy, joy, for Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary.

Text: William Dix (1837-1998)

What Child Is This? is one of my favorite hymns—maybe my absolute favorite.  So why do I often feel like I am fighting back tears when I hear it?

When I sing the song in church, the lyrics catch me in a way that gives me a feel for the setting.  Here we are, looking into the manager where the savior of the world has taken form as a very human baby.  The baby is sleeping; the shepherds are watching; the animals are eating, perhaps oblivious to the incredible event occurring there among them.  You can feel the wonder and quiet of the evening. The tune offers praise, but quietly, thoughtfully.  No loud trumpeting here as in some other wonderful Christmas songs.  The night does vibrate with the sound of the angels, true—but the melody holds the moment in our hearts gently.

While the setting is very much the night of Jesus’ birth, we are also reminded that this is just the beginning of the story.  The song moves us from the baby lying in the manager to the nails and spear cruelly tormenting Jesus on the cross. Then we are back to the manager again, with Mary gently singing to her baby.

Perhaps that’s the part that impacts me the most.  Mary holding her innocent newborn, with all the affection and love a parent can have, but also with knowledge that Jesus is no ordinary baby.   He has an incredible future ahead.  But how would she have felt knowing what Jesus would go through to bring salvation to the world?  It seems too much to grasp.  At that particular moment in the song, though, “the babe, the son of Mary” is asleep in her lap.  All is peaceful.

So, is it the lyrics that move me  so—the way they establish setting and mood?  Or is it the music, the haunting, delicate sounds of the famous English ballad Greensleeves?  I particularly love how the sound sweeps in during the second half of each stanza.   In the second part of the first stanza, the lyrics  proclaim, “This, this is Christ the king.” The music soars in emphasis: “This, this is Christ the King!”  And the heart resounds, Yes! It is!  Our Savior is here!

Like any great song, it has to be that the lyrics and tune combine to achieve a magnificent spiritual feeling.  It sweeps me into its emotion and praise, and the moment is powerful.  It’s always one of my favorite moments of the Christmas season, and it never fails to make the season real to me.

Ken Hobart



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