O Holy Night Chords and lyrics for guitar

"O Holy Night" is a slow holiday lullaby composed in 1847 from the poem "Minuit, Chretiens" by Placide Cappeau. The carol's melody was composed by Adolphe Adam, and many artists, including Mariah Carey and Josh Groban, have performed the song over the years.


The song is arranged in the key of F but can also be played in the key of C. Although it can be strummed, the song is finger-picked in the video, giving it a nice gentle feel and allowing the vocals to shine through. Finger picking requires correct posture and finger coordination, so if it may be easier, you can strum light downstrokes with your pick instead.

The exercise uses 6/8 time, which means there are six beats in a measure rather than the standard four, and an eighth note is used as a single beat value. Follow along with the video to get the rhythm and transitions down.

"O Holy Night" uses the following chords:

Guitar Lesson

Chords and lyrics

- Played in the key of F major with a slow 6/8 feel -

F                            Bb         
O Holy Night! The stars are
              F
brightly shining,
                                 C   
It is the night of the dear
                 F
Saviour's birth.
F                                 Bb
Long lay the world in sin
                F
and error pining.
               Am                     E7
Till He appeared and the soul
            Am
felt its worth.
   C                         F
A thrill of hope the weary

world rejoices,
      C                          F
For yonder breaks a new

and glorious morn.
Dm              Am   
Fall on your knees!
       Gm                  Dm
Oh, hear the angel voices!
    F C   F Bb       F    C
O night divine, O night
                           F
when Christ was born;
   C                     F  Gm
O night, O Holy Night ,
F C       F
 O night divine!

F                            Bb 
Led by the light of faith
               F
serenely beaming,
                                       C 
With glowing hearts by His
                  F
cradle we stand.
F                         Bb   
O'er the world a star is
               F
sweetly gleaming,
                         Am               
Now come the wisemen from
  E7                       Am
out of the Orient land.
       C                    F
The King of kings lay

thus lowly manger;
    C                 F
In all our trials born

to be our friends.
Dm                  Am 
He knows our need,
        Gm                    Dm
our weakness is no stranger,
    F  C  F  Bb     
Behold your King!
 F         C              F
 Before him lowly bend!
    C              F  Gm
Behold your King!
    F     C              F
Before him lowly bend!

F                         
Truly He taught us
 Bb                 F
 to love one another,
                             
His law is love and
      C                     F
His gospel is peace.
F                        Bb   
Chains he shall break,
             F
for the slave is our brother.
                           Am               
And in his name all oppression
 E7            Am
shall cease.
           C              F
Sweet hymns of joy in

grateful chorus raise we,
Dm             Am   
With all our hearts
     Gm                    Dm
we praise His holy name.
     F   C  F   Bb   
Christ is the Lord!
 F         C            F
 Then ever, ever praise we,
      C                F  Gm  F 
His power and glory ever
C             F
more proclaim!
      C                F  Gm  F 
His power and glory ever
C             F
more proclaim!