Singing About the Awesome Truth of the Birth of Jesus
We have just come through the month of December when more people think about the birth of Christ than at any other time. Although I am under no illusion that this was actually the time of year when Jesus was born, the focus on the nativity story does cause me to reflect in amazement at God’s merciful sacrifice when he chose to become man. Two songs come to my mind as making the best attempt possible in explaining the wonder of what God did in this miraculous event. The first is “Down from His Glory” with powerful lyrics written by William E. Booth-Clibborn set to the music of “O Sole Mio” by Eduardo Di Capua.
Down From His Glory
Down from His glory,
Ever living story,
My God and Savior came,
And Jesus was His Name;
Born in a manger,
To His own a stranger,
A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.
In this verse I imagine the almighty God, king over the splendor of heaven and Lord of everything, deciding to wrap himself in the vulnerable, humble flesh of a baby born in a manger in order to save us from our sins. He knew the sorrows, tears, agonies, and rejection he would endure, yet he loved us enough to do it anyway. The story of Jesus really is the ever living, ultimate story of the ages.
Oh, how I love Him! How I adore Him!
My breath, my sunshine, my all in all;
The great Creator became my Savior,
And all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.
As the chorus describes, the more I meditate on this true story of Jesus, the more I fall in love with him. How can I not love the one who first loved me? He both created me and died in my place. He gave me breath, he is my light in darkness, and he is everything that I need. Every title attached to the God of the Old Testament such as Jehovah Jireh, God my Provider, or Jehovah Rapha, God my Healer, and so many more all in-dwelt the body of Jesus, or “Emmanuel, God with us,” as quoted in Matthew 1:23.
What condescension,
Bringing us redemption;
That in the dead of night,
Not one faint hope in sight,
God, gracious, tender,
Laid aside His splendor,
Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.
The children of Israel had proven in all their human failures as God’s chosen people, that living up to his perfect law was impossible, just as it is for us today. We needed a new covenant or agreement between God and man, in order to become holy and escape judgment. The song in this verse reiterates that the God of the universe willingly laid aside his glorious majesty at our point of greatest need and condescended or stooped to our level as Philippians 2:7 states. “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”
Without reluctance,
Flesh and blood His substance,
He took the form of man,
Revealed the hidden plan,
Oh, glorious myst’ry,
Sacrifice of Calv’ry,
And now I know Thou art the great “I Am.”
This verse declares that God gave his all without reluctance. His plan of redemption, taking our place on the cross of Calvary, was his incomprehensible plan from the beginning. We can know that Jesus, the Messiah and our savior, is truly the great I Am of the Old Testament as he declared to the Pharisees in John 8:58. Knowing he had just declared himself to be God, the Pharisees then took up stones to stone him. However, if we receive this revelation and don’t reject him as they did, our lives will be magnificently changed as he becomes Lord of all, including our heart.
Mary Did You Know
The other song I love that so beautifully describes our great God becoming man is “Mary Did You Know” with words by Mark Lowry and music by Buddy Greene.
Mary did you know that your baby boy will someday walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you.
Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God.
Oh Mary did you know
The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb
These verses begin the questioning of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Did she have any idea while holding him as a baby, the miracles he would perform? Not only would he exhibit control of nature, but he would offer the miracle of salvation. She delivered him physically but he would deliver her spiritually from sin and its death sentence. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This baby she had the opportunity to kiss and care for, was the God of heaven and its angelic hosts. Yet he chose to be our sacrificial, perfect lamb that took upon himself the sins of the world. This was the ultimate evidence that God is love. He came himself to save us, the creation that he loves.
Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding is the great I Am
This last verse emphasizes that he created all things and will one day return in power and glory to rule all nations as described in Revelation 19, and not like the humble baby facing Cavalry that Mary held. He is the Great I Am, the eternal God who was, and is, and will be forevermore. He is our all in all.
Isaiah 9:6 gives a great prophetic sampling of who Jesus is and Mary’s role in bringing him forth. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” She birthed Jesus, both the Son of God and our Father, our counselor and our peace. As Paul in Colossians 2:9-10 proclaims, “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power.”
Just as we contemplate the awesome responsibility and privilege Mary had to hold and nurture Jesus, the mighty God in flesh, we must also remain in awe of the privilege of having him dwell in our bodies when we are filled with his Holy Spirit. Because he lived victoriously, died sacrificially, and rose to live in us, he can be the overcoming resurrection power within us that enables us to be with him eternally if we receive him.
I have uploaded my favorite versions I have found of these two songs. Let me know in a comment which are your favorites, especially if I don’t have them here. Thanks so much for reading this, listening to, and reflecting on the message of these songs with me. Please share if you have enjoyed this blog. Check out other Hallelujah posts here.
Manuel Hernandez
Two of my favorite songs, beautiful music, hard to sing but loaded with truth.
Tina l Rosario
loved all the versions of Mary did you know
and the 1st song above
blessings
Christy
I was blessed to listen to dozens of versions of each. I was surprised I had such a hard time finding what I considered great versions of Down from His Glory and narrowing down what to put in for Mary Did You Know. Thanks.
Mom❤️👍
Christy, I finally got to your blog and listened to the different versions of these two songs- “Down From His Glory” and “Mary did you know”. All were beautiful renditions and your Dad and I really enjoyed listening to them! They are among my very favorite Christian songs- “The goodness of God” is another one we like very much. You have done an excellent job with your blog and expressing each song and what it means. I hope more will tune in!!!
Jerry Stricklin
Down from His glory” has long been one of my favorite Christian songs. I believe I first heard it at a general conference many years ago. At that time, if I remember correctly, the general superintendent said that brother Booth, amazingly, backslid before he died. So sad to have such a revelation and yet lose out in the end. Goes to show that the race is not to the swift, neither the battle to the strong, but to him that endures to the end. The same shall be saved.
What can you say about “ Mary Did You Know?, other than, it’s Mark Lowry’s masterpiece and has become his signature song. He even has t shirts available with the question on them. It’s a sincere question that I’ve often asked myself, and I’m a guy. I can’t imagine any Christian woman who has not done so. Giving birth to God incarnate, wow! The mind boggles. Mark sings it as if he’s talking to her. I mean that as a great compliment. That is not easy. He’s one of the most amazing song stylists I know of.
Christy
Thanks for the insight.
Mindy Stricklin
I loved listening to these two songs and the different artists renditions. These two songs are definitely my favorites along with “The Goodness of God”. I think Jana Allard did the best with, “Down from His Glory”. And Mark Lowry did the best with “Mary did you know”. Thank you Christy for your blog and your expressions! I wish more people would tune into it!
Christy
I liked Jana Allard’s rendition best as well even though it’s not from an album. I think the soundtrack is from Mark Yandris’ Christmas album though.