The Hills are Bare at Bethlehem
The hills are bare at Bethlehem
The hymn embodies Lutheran Christology by emphasizing the humiliation of Christ's incarnation—the divine condescending to poverty and lowliness at Bethlehem. This reflects the Lutheran paradox of God's glory revealed in weakness and humility, central to understanding Christ's redemptive work.
History & Background
Written by Jaroslav Vajda in 1961 for inclusion in Lutheran worship resources. The hymn was first published in the 1969 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW 61) and has remained a featured Advent-Christmas hymn in Lutheran hymnals.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 276
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 61
Bulletin Note
Composed in 1961 by Jaroslav Joseph Vajda, a Slovak-American Lutheran pastor and hymnologist. The text captures the paradox central to Lutheran theology: God's greatest glory revealed in the weakness and poverty of a Child born in a stable.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Law-Gospel dialectic: bare hills and human desolation give way to the transformative presence of the Incarnate Word, where divine condescension becomes the ground of our redemption.
Themes
Incarnation Christ's humility Divine love made manifest Nativity