Devotional for December 16

Coventry Cathedral

“Coventry Carol”

English 16th Century

The Coventry Carol was one of the Christmas songs on an album I bought over 40 years ago. I loved it then because of the unusual melody, and I just glazed over the meaning of the hymn. It is a really old song, originally written (1390’s, rewritten in 1580s) for one of the Coventry Cathedral mystery plays which were usually performed in the summer. However in the intervening years, it has become one of our traditional Christmas carols. As you music scholars know, the music is a well-known example of the Picardy third (R. Jennings, Vox, 2018).

I don’t think I really thought about the words of the Coventry Carol until I sat down to prepare this devotional. I liked it originally because of the Picardy third, but today. I really thought about the words. After my third child was born, as I held him through the Christmas season, I continually thought about Mary and her ability to love and treasure the child she had birth despite knowing his fate. Usually we withdraw from people we know we are going to lose, but as our Savior’s mother, she must have held him even closer this precious gift from God even as she knew his fate.

1. Lully lullay, thou little tiny child, bye bye lully lullay. Thou little tiny child bye bye lully lullay. Was this a lullaby or a song foretelling the life of Mary’s boy?

Now turn from the joy of Mary to the wails and tears of those women whose sons (Matthew 2:16-18) were killed by Herod. When the play that contained the Coventry Carol was originally produced the staging called for three women (of Bethlehem) to entered the stage with their small children around them. Think about singing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th verses of this carol representing the woman of Bethlehem:

2. ‘O sisters too, how may we do for to preserve this day. This poor youngling for whom we sing, Bye bye lully lullay.

3. Herod the king, in his raging charged he hath this day. His men of might in his own sight all young children to slay.

4. That woe is me, poor child for thee and ever mourn and may. For thy parting neither say or sing, Bye bye, lully lullay.

In this time of celebration let us also ponder the sinfulness of man that led to the need for Christ birth and that sin was exampled by the slaying of these young, innocent children by Herod. As we celebrate Christ’s birth let us also be mindful that it is though his death he provided a way for our sins to be forgiven.

—Angela Baker