We Need a Little Christmas
Karen Mason Lyrics
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How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
Asleep on the hay
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
The lyrics above are a combination of three different Christmas songs. The first two stanzas are from "O Little Town of Bethlehem," written by Phillips Brooks in 1868. The song is meant to paint a picture of the quiet and peaceful town of Bethlehem on the night of Jesus' birth. The first stanza speaks of the stillness and darkness of the town while the second stanza moves to the announcement of Jesus' birth by angels, symbolized by the morning star.
The third stanza, "Away in a Manger," was written in the late 1800s and is quite popular in America. The song conveys the simplicity and humility of Jesus' birth. The humility of Jesus, as seen in his birth in a manger, contrasts with his greatness and his ultimate mission to save the world.
The final stanza "O Holy Child of Bethlehem" speaks to the redemption, salvation, and hope that Jesus brings to the world. Christians believe that Jesus is the light that came to the world to save people from their sins. The lyric "Cast out our sin and enter in, be born to us today" is a prayer that is sung to ask Jesus to come to our hearts, cleanse us of our sins, and save us.
Line by Line Meaning
O little town of Bethlehem
The singer is addressing the city of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
The city is peaceful and quiet
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The city is calm and everyone is asleep
The silent stars go by
The stars are shining and everything is peaceful
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
Despite the darkness of the night, something shines in the city
The everlasting Light
This light is eternal and signifies hope
The hopes and fears of all the years
The city is a place where people's hopes and fears come together
Are met in thee tonight
Tonight, people bring their hopes and fears to the city
For Christ is born of Mary
The artist is referencing the birth of Jesus
And gathered all above
Angels are above, celebrating the birth of Jesus
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
While people are sleeping, angels are watching over the birth of Jesus
Their watch of wondering love
The angels are filled with love and awe over the birth of Jesus
O morning stars together
The stars in the morning sky are shining brightly
Proclaim the holy birth
The stars are announcing the birth of Jesus
And praises sing to God the King
The stars are singing praises to God
And Peace to men on earth
The stars are bringing peace to people on earth
Away in a manger
The artist is referencing the birthplace of Jesus
No crib for a bed
Jesus was born in humble circumstances, without a proper bed
The little Lord Jesus
The singer is referencing Jesus as a baby
Lay down His sweet head
Jesus was resting peacefully in the manger
The stars in the sky
The stars are still shining and looking down on the birth of Jesus
Look down where He lay
The stars are watching over Jesus as He sleeps
Asleep on the hay
Jesus was sleeping on a bed of hay
O holy Child of Bethlehem
The artist is addressing Jesus
Descend to us, we pray
The singer is asking for Jesus to come to them
Cast out our sin and enter in
The singer is asking Jesus to help them overcome their sins
Be born to us today
The singer is asking Jesus to be born in their hearts today
We hear the Christmas angels
The artist is referencing the angels who are singing about Jesus' birth
The great glad tidings tell
The angels are spreading the good news of Jesus' birth
O come to us, abide with us
The singer is asking Jesus to come and stay with them
Our Lord Emmanuel
The singer is referring to Jesus as their Lord and Savior
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: STEVEN V. TAYLOR, PHILLIPS BROOKS, LEWIS H. REDNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind