Away in a Manger
Orlando Tony Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,

And stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Overall Meaning

The song "Away in a Manger" is a classic Christmas carol that describes the birth of Jesus Christ. As the first verse suggests, the newborn baby Jesus had no crib to surround him. Instead, he was laid down to rest on a bed of hay. The second line continues to describe Jesus's *sweet* head, emphasizing his innocence and purity. As the stars twinkle above Jesus, taking on a symbolic role, the third line suggests the heavenly choir of angels who sang during Jesus's birth.

The second verse begins by describing the cattle lowing, as Jesus's presence causes them to awaken from their slumber. Interestingly, even though Jesus was just a baby, he did not cry, which is very peculiar for infants. This detail adds to the miracle surrounding Jesus's birth. The verse ends with the singer declaring their love and devotion to Jesus, asking for his protection throughout the night.

The final verse concludes the song by asking Jesus to remain close by and to keep all the dear children safe in his tender care. The song's beautiful melody and lyrics have made it a beloved Christmas carol for generations, perfect for serenading baby Jesus.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The Lord Jesus was born in a humble place and did not have a crib for his bed.

The little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
Despite the lack of comfort, the Lord Jesus peacefully laid down his head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The heavenly bodies above witnessed the birth of a divine being.

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Content with humble surroundings, the Lord Jesus slept on a bed of hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
The sounds of the animals around him stirred the sleeping baby.

But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
Despite being woken, the Lord Jesus did not cry or fuss.

I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
An expression of love and a request for divine attention.

And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
A plea for divine guidance and protection until the morning light.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
A request for spiritual closeness and constant presence.

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
An expression of love and a plea for eternal companionship.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
A prayer for divine blessing and protection over all children under the Lord's care.

And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
A request for preparation and guidance to ultimately reside in heaven with the Lord.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: William J. Kirkpatrick, Traditional

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS