Away in a Manger
James R. Murray Lyrics

Away in a manger, no crib for the bed,
The tiny baby Jesus had no warm, comfortable place to sleep

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The baby Jesus, King of Kings, lay down to rest his head in a humble manger

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The heavenly bodies in the sky beamed with bright light and wonder as they beheld the sleeping baby

The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
The powerful and divine Jesus, Lord of all, slept peacefully in a bed made of simple straw

The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes,
The mooing of cows and other farm animals woke the sleeping Jesus, who was poor despite his royal nature

But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
Despite his discomfort, Jesus, who would grow up to bear the weight of the world's sins, did not cry

I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
The singer expressed their love and devotion to Jesus, asking him to look down from heaven

And stay by my cradle 'til morning is neigh.
The artist requested that Jesus watch over them, keeping them safe as they slept until the dawn arrived

Believe me, Lord Jesus, I asked thee to stay
The artist earnestly requested that Jesus remain with them always

Close by me forever and love me I pray
The artist prayed that Jesus would never leave them and would show them an abundance of love

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
The singer asked Jesus to keep all the world's children under his loving protection

And take us to heaven to live with thee there.
The artist asked that when it was their time to leave this earth, Jesus would take them to heaven to live with him there.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The song repeats the opening lines, as if marveling once more at the wondrous and miraculous birth of Jesus in the humblest of settings.

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
Again, the song repeats the image of the infant Savior nestled sweetly in his makeshift bed of hay, a symbol of God's presence in the midst of ordinary, everyday life.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The final image of the song acknowledges the wonder and awe that a humble scene in a stable has inspired for generations. It's a reminder of the enduring appeal of the story of the Nativity, and a call to appreciate the miracle of Christmas.