Monday, November 23, 2009

Hymn: When All Was Still at Midnight's Hour


In a previous post I spoke of writing a Christmas hymn, one with which I am not entirely happy. Something about it just doesn't . . . feel right. I know that sounds esoteric and "touchy-feely", but I tend to write by instinct, with my gut, if you know what I mean. (Please, no silly comments about writing with fingers.) I write what sounds good to me.

Fifteen years ago, I probably wouldn't have shared this poem with anyone. I was not a confident person when I was younger, and criticism always seemed harsher to me than it was likely intended to be. These days, especially now that I've started this new venture into writing hymns, feedback is appreciated and even necessary. I like to think I'm more confident now than I was as a teen—though one thing is for certain: I couldn't be any less confident now than I was then.

All that being said, here it is. Let me know what you think.



When All Was Still at Midnight's Hour

1. When all was still at midnight's hour,
The Word almighty came,
Descending from the royal throne--
Immanuel, His name.

2. The Word was God. In Him was life--
His life, the light of all.
That light shines in the darkness drear
And overcomes the fall.

3. His glory is revealed to us,
And we behold His grace--
The glory of the Father's Son
Who saves our sinful race.

4. Immanuel: God dwells with us,
His blessings to bestow.
Forgiveness, life He gives by faith
To sinners here below.

5. "All glory be to God on high,
And peace on earth to men."
Thus angels sang, and with them we
Repeat the hymn again.


(c) Alan Kornacki, Jr.
86 866
Tune: Lobt Gott, Ihr Christen (LSB 389)
(It can also be sung without the repeated last line with the tune Consolation, LSB 348.)

3 comments:

Gil Franke said...

Alan, you have nothing to feel insecure about with this hymn! It sings well and expresses the mystery of the incarnation in scriptural language. Thank you for sharing it.
-- Gil

IggyAntiochus said...

I like the hymn. Good for services when John 1 is used instead of Luke 2. Also, because it is in Common Meter, there are a number of tunes to choose from. Would like permission to run this by my pastor for use during Christmas and it's Season.

Rev. Alan Kornacki, Jr. said...

Iggy--

Do feel free to share this with your pastor.

Just a couple of fixes that I'm about to make in the next hour or so:
--In the second line of the first verse, change "Your" to "The".
--In the second line of the third verse, change "beheld" to "behold" to fix the verb tense.