O Little Town of Bethlehem

Music by:	Lewis H. Redner
Lyrics by:	Phillips Brooke
Date:	1868

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a Christmas song written by Phillips Brooke and Lewis H. Redner.

Lyrics

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hope and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on Earth

How silently how silently
The wondrous gift is given 
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in

O holy child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

Appearances in Christmas specials

• Hymnalogue: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (1945)
• The Epic of Detective Mandy: "Book Three - Satan Claus II: The Elves of Doom" (1993) - Jim Nabors
• The Ref (1994) - Nat King Cole
• We Wish You a Turtle Christmas (1994) - as "Oh Little City of New York"
• Reckless (1995)
• Cedarmont Kids: Christmas Carols (1997)
• Teddy Bear Sing Along: "My Christmas Play Rhymes and Songs" (1997)
• The Family Stone (2005)
• Under the Mistletoe (2006) - Extreme Production Music
• Christmas in Wonderland (2007)
• Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage (2008) - Coastal Sound Music Academy Society
• Four Christmases (2008) - Sarah McLachlan
• A Madea Christmas (2013) - Brain Curtin
• The Least of These: A Christmas Story (2018) - Matty Ride
• Christmas in the Wilds and The Knight Before Christmas (2019) - The Kim Kalie Mixed Choir
• A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) - Frank Sinatra
• Christmas on the Slopes (2022) - 5 Alarm Music
• The Holdovers (2023) - Salt Lake City Children's Choir; Jazz Trio: Starry Bay Trio

Uncredited

• Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
• The Bell Telephone Hour: "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (1960) - The Columbus Boys' Choir
• The Bell Telephone Hour: "Christmas Celebration" (1962/64) - Mildred Miller
• John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas (1975)
• Prancer (1989) - Practiced by the class of children at the very beginning, starting at when the main title fades in.
• Edward Scissorhands (1990)
• The Simpsons: "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (1990)
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) - Arranged by John Williams in a composition "Christmas at Carnegie Hall"
• Animaniacs: "Little Drummer Warners" (1993)
• A Riders in the Sky Christmas (1993)
• Perry Como's Irish Christmas (1994)
• Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
• Roswell: "Samuel Rising" (2001) - Hangnail
• Barney & Friends Home Video: "Barney's Christmas Star" (2002) - Part of the Medley
• The Simpsons: "I Won't Be Home for Christmas" (2014)

Albums

• Riders in the Sky: "Merry Christmas From Harmony Ranch" (1992)
• VeggieTales: "A Very Veggie Christmas" (1996) - "The Big Medley!"
• Now That's What I Call Christmas!: The Signature Collection (2003) - Yolanda Adams