Do You Hear What I Hear? – 12 Days of Christmas Carols

“So many Christmas songs…so little time!”

#2 Do You Hear What I Hear?

Not everyone who hears the same message will respond the same way…but you have faith and believe!

If there is one thing that I have learned from 2020, it is that for every 10 people that hear a story, there are 10 different interpretations and 10 different reactions to that same story… multiply that number by 33 million!

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” has always been one of those Christmas carols that fascinated me. Maybe it was because it reminded me of one of my favorite games to play as a child … the telephone game!

I loved it when the teacher would allow us to play the game near the end of class. She would start a message with the student nearest her desk and they would pass it along… and the next person would pass it along…and so forth … until the last person would shout the message out! It was usually the wrong message, and we would all burst out in laughter at how distorted the message had become!

2020 has left me feeling like we are all living in a game of telephone! At some point, the teacher has to chime in with the right message to get us all on track… right!?

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” was written in 1962 at the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne as a plea for peace. I can only imagine the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that was in the heart of millions of Americans during this time. This year, imagining that sentiment has not been difficult.

But there is hope in the words of this song. It starts with a whisper in the wind and builds to the declaration of peace from a king!

The song is based on the story of the birth of Jesus. Of course, we know that the biblical king did not tell everyone to pray for peace, everywhere, but instead, Herod ordered the slaughter of all baby boys under the age of 2!

Not everyone who hears of your good news will appreciate it. Not everyone who hears the same message you have heard will have the heart to respond as you have. But always pray for clarity and direction in your life and trust the peace of God to guide your decisions.

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” was originally recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale. There are so many versions of this song that I enjoy. I have included a few of my favorites. Which one do you like most?