What Child Is This?

I know; I just posted about music and foul language and here I am now touting a traditional Christmas Carol! How can this be? My excuse? It's late and I should be in bed!

A few days ago I highlighted a Christmas CD that I purchased and discovered I LOVE it! (Downhere's How Many Kings) Some are quite traditional but with a bit of a twist in their style, flavor, and arrangement. Some are original songs. As I listen to these songs I forget most of them are "Christmas Carols" and just hear them as true worship music: Glory to God, Christ that came as a baby, the Cross, His love for us.... It's all so very beautiful and a bit mind boggling to me when I truly reflect on all this. So, I'm loving listening to this WORSHIP album that happens to be for Christmas.

There's so much I love on this album! But tonight I am really taken with their version of "What Child Is This?" (Greensleeves) It's truly beautiful; I love the guitar; love the intricacy and yet simplicity at the same time. Plus, when they sing a stanza in French it's just beautiful. I love this album! Check it out on iTunes!

Oh, and in case you were wondering; the "baby Jesus" in my photo is my own beautiful daughter when she was just a few weeks old. :-)

A bit of background on this Carol: It was written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix, an Englishman, who at the age of 29 suffered a "near-fatal" illness and was stuck in bed for many months where he fell into a depression yet it's in this season of struggle and depression he wrote many of his hymns and carols, including this one. I always find it interesting to hear that oftentimes great thing, great, thoughts, books, songs, etc. come from tragedy or struggles. It makes me wonder and take a closer look at my own struggles to uncover the good that could only come through a season of suffering and emerging from that suffering. It's growth. Anyways, here's the song:

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
Whom 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!