Away in a Manger
J. Williams Lyrics


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Away in a manger
No crib for his bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down his sweet head
The stars in the sky
Looking down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying he makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me for ever
And love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven
To live with Thee there




And take us to Heaven
To live with Thee there

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of J. Williams's song "Away in a Manger" depict the birth of Jesus Christ, who was laid down to sleep in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn. The song reflects the humble beginnings of Jesus, who despite being the son of God, was born in a lowly stable.


The opening lines of the song, "Away in a manger, no crib for his bed," convey the idea that Jesus was born into poverty and there was no comfortable place for him to rest. The second line, "The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head," is a poignant image of the infant Jesus sleeping peacefully despite the uncomfortable surroundings. The stars in the sky, looking down where he lay, further reinforce the idea that this was a miraculous event that was witnessed by the heavens.


The second verse of the song speaks of the cattle that are lowing and the baby Jesus waking up, though he does not cry. It is an acknowledgement of the fact that Jesus was a fully human baby, but also the son of God who came to bring peace and love to the world. The third verse offers a prayer to Jesus, asking him to stay close by and love us forever. The final verse seeks blessings for all the dear children and asks Jesus to take us to heaven to live with him.


Overall, "Away in a Manger" is a song that offers a simple but powerful message. It reminds us of the humble beginnings of Jesus and his message of love and hope for all.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger
Far from home, in a manger


No crib for his bed
There was no bed for him, only a manger


The little Lord Jesus
The young Lord, Jesus


Laid down his sweet head
He laid his head down to rest


The stars in the sky
The stars shining above


Looking down where he lay
Watching over where he was laying


The little Lord Jesus
The young Lord, Jesus


Asleep on the hay
Sleeping on the hay


The cattle are lowing
The cows are mooing


The poor baby wakes
The baby is awakened


But little Lord Jesus
But the young Lord, Jesus


No crying he makes
He does not cry


I love Thee, Lord Jesus
I love you, Lord Jesus


Look down from the sky
Look down from heaven


And stay by my cradle
And stay close to me


Till morning is nigh
Until morning arrives


Be near me, Lord Jesus
Be close to me, Lord Jesus


I ask Thee to stay
I am requesting that you remain


Close by me for ever
Always remain close to me


And love me, I pray
And love me, I beg of you


Bless all the dear children
Bless all the precious children


In Thy tender care
Under your gentle care


And take us to Heaven
Bring us to Heaven


To live with Thee there
To live with you there


And take us to Heaven
Bring us to Heaven


To live with Thee there
To live with you there




Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: JAMES R. MURRAY, PHILLIP DANIEL KRISTIANSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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