Away in a Manger
J. Kirkpatrick William Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger, no crib for his 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 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 side until 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 fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Away In A Manger" are a description of the birth of Jesus Christ. The song describes how Mary and Joseph, who are the parents of Jesus, did not have a proper place to stay as they traveled to Bethlehem because there was no room for them in the inn. As a result, they had to lay Jesus in a manger, which is a feeding trough for animals. The first verse also explains how the stars in the sky looked down on Jesus as he laid in the manger.


The second verse explains how in the quiet of the night, while Jesus sleeps, the animals in the stable around him make noise- the cattle are lowing. Despite the chaos, Jesus does not cry, thereby affirming his divine nature. The third verse talks about how the singer loves Jesus, and he or she asks him to stay with them until morning. The singer also expresses a desire for Jesus to be with them forever and love them. The final verse is a prayer that asks Jesus to bless all the children in his tender care and grant them the ability to live with him in heaven one day.


Overall, "Away In A Manger" is a simple but powerful song that captures the essence of Christmas - the story of the humble birth of Jesus Christ, who entered the world to save humanity from their sins.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
Jesus was born in a humble setting, without even a proper crib.


The little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
In spite of his divine nature, Jesus was a human baby who needed rest and sleep like any other infant.


The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The heavens themselves seemed to acknowledge the sacredness of this event, and bright celestial bodies provided light even in the darkness of that night.


The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The baby Jesus was comforted by a bed made of hay, showing how the simplest things can bring peace and contentment.


The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
Even the animals around Jesus' birthplace seemed to sense that something special was happening, and their sounds made the baby stir.


But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
Though he was an infant who was vulnerable and dependent, Jesus did not cry and showed a remarkable sense of calm and peace.


I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
The singer expresses their adoration for Jesus and seeks his attention and blessings.


And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
The singer seeks comfort and protection from Jesus, especially during times of uncertainty or danger.


Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
The singer again requests Jesus' presence and guidance, recognizing the importance of his company and teachings in their life.


Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
The singer desires a deep and lasting connection with Jesus, one that transcends time and space and is based on unconditional love.


Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
The singer asks Jesus to extend his blessings and protection to all children, who are often the most vulnerable and in need of guidance and support.


And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
The ultimate goal of the singer's faith is to be reunited with Jesus in heaven, and they request his help in achieving this goal.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: . TRADITIONAL, MICHAEL PHILIP MCGLYNN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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