Acappella is an all-male Contemporary Christian vocal group that was founde… Read Full Bio ↴Acappella is an all-male Contemporary Christian vocal group that was founded in 1982 by Keith Lancaster, who has variously played the role of singer, songwriter, and producer throughout the group's history. Acappella is by far the most popular musical group to have come out of the Churches of Christ in the U.S. They are in large part responsible for inspiring an entire culture of a cappella musical performance in the Church of Christ. Churches of Christ members strive to worship as first century Christians worshiped, and believe one should sing 'making melody in your heart' (Eph. 5:19), instead of using musical instruments in worship. The song "Acappella" from 1986's Conquerors was the first to achieve widespread popularity within the church of Christ (it could almost be called a 'hit') and the 1988 album Sweet Fellowship has become their all-time best seller. AVB's breakout Song in My Soul was released almost concurrently, and the number of like-minded a cappella vocal groups within the church of Christ grew almost exponentially after these two albums. Acappella experienced their first mainstream success outside the church of Christ with 1993's Set Me Free. This album also had a song licensed for use in a Sony Camcorder Super Bowl commercial (with the refrain "They are more precious than gold").

Away in a Manger
Acappella Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there

Scriptural Reference:

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6-7

Overall Meaning

The song Away in a Manger invites us to imagine a peaceful scene, where a newborn baby is sleeping in a humble manger. The first verse paints the picture of the scene, with the baby Jesus sleeping in the hay, left to rest in a manger as there was no room for Him to be born in. This verse sets a natural and humble picture of Jesus' birth, emphasizing the contrast between the King of Kings' royal status and his earthly birthplace.

In the second verse, we see the baby Jesus awaken to the sound of the animals around him. Despite this, He does not cry or complain, for He knows that He is loved by those around Him. The third verse begins with a prayer that allows the person singing the song to connect with Jesus, asking Him to stay close and forever remain by their side. In the closing lines, the song becomes universal, with a blessing that extends beyond the singer, asking Jesus to bless all the dear children and to take them to heaven to live with Him.

Overall, Away in a Manger is a song that encourages us to connect with Jesus in a personal way. It reminds us that He came to us in a humble manner, and that even as a baby He loved us, and we can feel safe in His tender care.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The baby Jesus was laid in a manger since there was no room for Him in the inn, and there was no proper crib for Him to sleep in.

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
The baby Lord Jesus slept peacefully, resting His head on the hay in the manger.

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
As the baby Lord Jesus slept, the stars in the sky shone down upon Him, perhaps in sign of His heavenly importance.

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay
The baby Lord Jesus slept soundly, resting on the hay in the manger, where He was placed due to no proper place to sleep.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes
The sound of the cattle lowing disturbed the baby Lord Jesus and He awakened from His sleep.

But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
Although awakened, the baby Lord Jesus didn't cry, perhaps showing His gentle, sweet nature.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
The singer expresses their love for the Lord Jesus and implores Him to look down on them from heaven.

And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh
The artist asks the Lord Jesus to stay by their side as they sleep, until the morning comes.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
The artist pleads with the Lord Jesus to stay close to them and be near them always.

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray
The artist asks the Lord Jesus to remain by their side always, and to love them always.

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
The singer asks the Lord Jesus to bless all the children who are under His care and to watch over them.

And take us to heaven to live with Thee there
The artist asks the Lord Jesus to take them to heaven to live with Him, suggesting a desire to be close to Him always and join Him in the afterlife.

Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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