What Child Is This
Neil Sedaka Lyrics


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What child is this, who, laid to rest,
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.

Overall Meaning

The song "What Child Is This?" by Neil Sedaka is a popular Christmas carol that explores the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The first verse describes the scene of Jesus' birth, with Mary holding him in her arms and angels singing around him while the shepherds watch over them. The second verse speaks to the reason why Jesus was born in such humble surroundings and how his ultimate sacrifice of bearing the cross was to be for everyone. The third verse speaks of the gifts that were presented to baby Jesus by the Magi who had traveled far to find him.


The song is a great combination of traditional Christmas elements and biblical references that are beautifully conveyed in Sedaka's melodic voice. The theme of humility and sacrifice is a common thread throughout the song and is particularly relevant in the context of the Christmas story. Sedaka highlights the significance of Jesus' birth through the use of vivid imagery and emotive language, making the song an instant classic.


Line by Line Meaning

What child is this, who, laid to rest,
Who is this child sleeping on Mary's lap?


On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Mary is holding and comforting the sleeping child


Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
The angels are welcoming and celebrating the birth of this child


While shepherds watch are keeping?
The shepherds are guarding and protecting the child as they watch over him


This, this is Christ the King,
This child is the King of all, who has come to earth as a baby


Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
The shepherds and angels are both paying reverence to this child


Haste, haste to bring him laud,
Hurry and praise him, give him honor and glory


The babe, the son of Mary.
This child is Mary's son, born into the world as a baby


Why lies he in such mean estate
Why is the King of all born in such humble circumstances?


Where ox and ass are feeding?
Born where the animals are fed, in a stable, indicating his lowly birth


Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
Christ has come to Earth to save sinners and bring them salvation


The silent Word is pleading.
Even without speaking, this child is speaking through his actions and his life


Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The child will suffer greatly, being pierced by nails and spear


The Cross be borne for me, for you;
He will bear the cross, taking on the sins of all


Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
This child is the Word made flesh, who came to Earth to save humanity


The Babe, the Son of Mary.
This child is both a baby and the son of Mary


So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Bring him offerings of incense, gold, and myrrh as a sign of honor and respect


Come, peasant, king, to own him.
All are welcome to acknowledge and accept him, from peasants to kings


the King of kings salvation brings,
The King of all is bringing salvation to humanity


Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Let those with loving hearts welcome him and make him their King


Raise, raise the song on high,
Sing joyfully and loudly to honor this child


The Virgin sing her lullaby:
Mary sings a soothing song to her baby, who is also the King of all


Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
Celebrate with joy and happiness, for Christ has been born


The Babe, the Son of Mary.
This child is both Mary's son and the savior of humanity




Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: TRADITIONAL, ROBERT MATHES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Maria aparecida Da Silva Silva

Que lindo 🤩🤩🤩🤩

Haley Jane

That was so beautiful. God bless

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