Away in a Manger
CeCe Winans Lyrics


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Sleep little baby sleep

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

And I welcome You in my heart
I pray that we will never part
This love You gave me
Is shining for the whole world to see
Shining for the whole world to see

The cattle are lowing, the sweet Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love You, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,
And stay right by my side till morning is nigh.

And I welcome You in my heart
I pray that we will never part
This love that You gave me
Is shining for the whole world to see
Shining for the whole world to see

Hear the words when
Darkness seems everywhere
People hurting
No one seems to care
We need Your love
To shine down on me

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask You 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 You there.

And I, I welcome You in my heart
I pray that You will never part
This love You gave me
Is shining

For unto us a child is born
Emmanuel
Prince of Peace
Everlasting Father
What a wonderful King
Keep shining so the whole world can see
Emmanuel

Sleep little Jesus, sleep
Sleep little Jesus, sleep
Emmanuel




Sleep little Jesus, sleep
Sleep little Jesus, sleep

Overall Meaning

The hymn "Away in a Manger" is a popular Christmas carol that is sung in churches and homes around the world during the holiday season. The lyrics speak of the humble birth of Jesus, who was born in a manger since there was no crib available. The first verse describes the scene where the little Lord Jesus lays His head down on the hay and the stars in the sky shining down on Him. The second verse speaks of how even though the cattle were lowing, the baby Jesus did not cry. The singer expresses their love for Jesus and asks Him to stay by their side. The last verse speaks of how Jesus came into the world to bring love, light, and hope to those in darkness.


The song "Away in a Manger" was originally published in 1885, and the author is unknown. However, it is thought to be an American song based on the melody of the famous lullaby "Cradle Song," which was composed by William J Kirkpatrick in 1895. There are two traditional tunes that are used for this hymn, and both of them are typically sung slowly and serenely to capture the quiet and peaceful nature of the nativity scene.


The song has been recorded by many famous musicians over the years, including Elvis Presley, Michael W. Smith, and CeCe Winans. CeCe Winans' version of "Away in a Manger" is particularly moving and expressive, capturing the warmth and intimacy of the carol. Her soulful voice adds depth and emotion to the song, making it a beautiful and impactful Christmas hymn.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus had no proper place to sleep


The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
Jesus slept peacefully despite not having a proper bed


The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The shining stars witnessed Jesus' birth in the manger


The little Lord Jesus, asleep in the hay.
Jesus slept in the hay resting calmly


And I welcome You in my heart
The singer invites Jesus to be a part of her life


I pray that we will never part
The singer wishes Jesus to be with her always


This love You gave me
The unconditional love Jesus has for everyone


Is shining for the whole world to see
Jesus' love is spreading everywhere


The cattle are lowing, the sweet Baby awakes,
The cows are mooing, and the little baby Jesus wakes


But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
Although a baby, Jesus didn't cry as it's usual for newborns


I love You, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,
The singer expresses her love for Jesus and wishes to seek his blessings


And stay right by my side till morning is nigh.
The singer asks Jesus to be with her all the time


Hear the words when
The following lines describe how Jesus' presence can heal in times of pain


Darkness seems everywhere
When everything seems sad and hopeless


People hurting
When people are in pain and agony


No one seems to care
When people are emotionally isolated and feel lonely


We need Your love
The singer says that only Jesus' love can heal the world


To shine down on me
The singer prays for Jesus' love to shower upon her


Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask You to stay
The singer asks Jesus to be with her always


Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
The singer seeks Jesus' love forever


Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
The singer prays for Jesus' blessings for all the little children


And take us to heaven to live with You there.
The ultimate goal is to go to heaven and live with Jesus forever


For unto us a child is born
Jesus' birth brought a new ray of hope for humanity


Emmanuel
Jesus, also known as Emmanuel, is always with us


Prince of Peace
Jesus is the symbol of purity and tranquility


Everlasting Father
Jesus is the fatherly figure and protector of all


What a wonderful King
Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords


Keep shining so the whole world can see
The singer prays for Jesus' love and grace to keep shining across the world


Sleep little Jesus, sleep
The singer wishes for Jesus to sleep peacefully


Emmanuel
Jesus, also known as Emmanuel, is always with us


Sleep little Jesus, sleep
The singer wishes for Jesus to sleep peacefully


Sleep little Jesus, sleep
The singer wishes for Jesus to sleep peacefully




Contributed by Addison S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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