O little town of Bethlehem,
How troubled we see thee lie!
Above thy streets so shadowed now,
The silent stars still vie;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The hope we seek to find;
The dreams and fears of all these years
Weigh heavy on thy mind.

Where once the pilgrims gathered,
The streets now lined with fear,
Encircling troops have come again,
Their presence ever near.
The walls that rise around thee,
Keep many dreams at bay,
O little town of Bethlehem,
How can we find our way?

How silently, how silently,
The struggle here unfolds,
As families face uncertain times,
Their stories left untold.
No ear may hear their crying,
But in this world of pain,
Where hope seems lost in shadows,
Light must be born again.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Hear our heartfelt plea;
Bring peace to all who struggle now,
And set the captives free.
We lift our prayers this season,
For strength and hope anew,
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel.

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25 of 25 Christmas carols with revised lyrics for Advent & Christmas Day reflections 2024, can be sung to the relevant tune.

Full disclosure, ChatGPT and Copilot have been utilised in the developing of this revised version of O Little Town of Bethlehem which touches on current affairs with reference to current situation in the town of Bethlehem while incorporating biblical references by or about Jesus (Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4-7, John 1:5, Luke 4:18-19, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). The hope is that, amidst the division and suffering, a message of peace, justice, hope and reconciliation remains.