What Child Is This
Lee Greenwood (Holiday) Lyrics
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On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
the King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sing her lullaby:
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
In Lee Greenwood’s version of the classic Christmas carol “What Child Is This,” the lyrics describe the awe-inspiring scene of the birth of Jesus Christ. The song begins with the question “What child is this?” as the singer witnesses the scene of Mary cradling her baby. Angels and shepherds alike are amazed and singing praise to this newborn king, whom they believe to be Christ the King. The song goes on to describe the humble circumstances of the baby’s birth, lying in a manger surrounded by animals, yet still being hailed as the savior of all sinners. The final stanza of the song encourages all to come and celebrate this divine child, bringing gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh to honor him.
Overall, the lyrics of “What Child Is This” celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and his miraculous arrival as the savior of the world. The imagery of the humble surroundings of his birth and the divine reverence he is given are powerful reminders of the significance of this event to Christians around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
Who is this child, peacefully sleeping in Mary's lap?
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
The baby is sleeping soundly on Mary's lap.
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
Angels sing beautiful songs to the child while shepherds watch over him.
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
This child is Jesus, the King, whom shepherds are guarding and angels are singing to.
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Let us quickly come and praise the baby, the son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Why is he lying in a lowly manger where animals feed?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Christ is silently pleading with sinners to repent, so Christians should fear and take heed.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne for me, for you;
He will endure nails and a spear piercing his flesh, and carry the Cross for the sake of humanity.
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
We hail and praise the Word of God, made flesh in the form of the baby, the Son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
Bring gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh to honor and acknowledge him, whether you are a peasant or a king.
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Christ, the King of kings, has come to bring salvation, and we should welcome him with loving hearts and honor him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sing her lullaby:
Sing a joyful song to celebrate his birth, while Mary sings a soothing lullaby.
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
We should all rejoice in the birth of Christ, the baby and son of Mary.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DOUGLAS E WAGNER, WILLIAM C DIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind