A Lullaby to the World

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Still, still, still

One can hear the falling snow.

For all is hushed,

The world is sleeping,

Holy Star its vigil keeping.

Still, still, still,

One can hear the falling snow.

Still, Still, Still” is one of the most relaxing Christmas carols. Lacking the traditional verse and chorus format, it repeats the first word of each verse three times in a gently hypnotic fashion. The melody rises and falls like soft breathing, so it’s no great wonder that “Still, Still, Still” was often used as a lullaby to soothe children to sleep.

As with many traditional songs, its origins are lost in time—and it is even difficult to find a definitive version of the lyrics. It was first sung in Austrian villages prior to 1819, and it spread by word of mouth with mothers and fathers singing it to their children as they remembered it,

adapting it here and there.

By 1819 the lyrics had become attached to “The Salzburg Melody,” and written copies were circulated. Variations in the words still persisted, but the differences really made no difference. The themes of rest, comfort, and reassurance shine through regardless of which version is sung. The song, seemingly sung by a mother to her child, might just as easily have been crooned by a loving God to a fretful humankind.

The snow is falling on Christmas Eve (the carol tells us), and nothing need disturb our sleep. God’s angels are attentive and His love is all encompassing. He is sending His Son to be born for our sake, and when we wake in the morning, everything will be different. Our problems will have a solution. Adam’s fall will be redeemed.

So sleep and don’t worry. God has it all in hand.

A beautiful and comforting promise - one we are reminded of every Christmas.

Overly simplistic, perhaps? Well, of course, it isn’t as easy as all that; we still have our very important part to play. We have to allow ourselves to be loved.

So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. NEHEMIAH 8:11

(From Silent Night: The Stories Behind 40 Beloved Christmas Carols, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission)

Still, still, still,

One can hear the falling snow.

For all is hushed,

The world is sleeping,

Holy Star it's vigil keeping.

Still, still, still,

One can hear the falling snow.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

The night is peaceful all around you,

Close your eyes,

Let sleep surround you.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,

'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

DO YOU KNOW?

39 days in a calendar year equals to one month and 9 days, or to be more specific:

- 3,369,600 seconds

- 56,160 minutes

- 936 hours

- 5 weeks and 4 days

- 10.68% of 2019