Unto Us

JJ Heller's “Unto Us” is a gentle Christmas song that gathers the promises about the child born in Bethlehem. The verses are made of single words and short phrases, each opening a line with a quality of the Savior, which gives the song a quiet, spoken feel.

The first verse begins with love wrapped in swaddling clothes, born to bind up our wounds. It continues with weary souls who will rejoice when they hear the good news. The chorus uses the words of the prophet, unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and he shall be called Emmanuel. In the second verse the baby is in a manger, peaceful and pure, and he is called the ember of hope, giving light to the world. The last lines list the names Wonderful, Counselor, more perfect than we could dream, and bringer of all good things. The arrangement is soft and has little percussion, so the words are easy to follow. It works well for a candlelight service, a nativity reading or a quiet moment on Christmas Eve. Because the song is short, it also fits between readings in an Advent program. Heller keeps the focus on who the child is and what he brings, without adding a lot of background, and that restraint is part of its appeal for families and congregations.

The prophecy of the child is in Isaiah 9:6. The manger and swaddling clothes are in Luke 2:12, and the name Emmanuel is in Matthew 1:23.