Away in a Manger
Paris Twila Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
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 take us to heaven to live with Thee there.
The song "Away in a Manger" describes the birth of Jesus Christ, who was born in a stable in Bethlehem because there was no room for them at the inn. It portrays a humble and simple scene where the newborn Jesus was laid down on a bed of hay instead of a crib. The lyrics mention the presence of the stars, which reflect the glory of God, and the cattle, which were present in the stable, setting a peaceful ambiance throughout the song. The song then continues, stating that when the poor baby wakes, he makes no crying sounds. This shows that even as a newborn, Jesus was calm and peaceful, which is further emphasized by the line that reads, "The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."
The lyrics proceed to request Jesus to stay close and bless all the children in his care. The song ends by praying for Jesus to take us to heaven to live with him there. The final lines depict the ultimate wish of a believer to be close to Jesus, who will bless us and guide us forever. Overall, the song highlights the essence of Christmas, which is the birth of Jesus Christ and his divine essence.
Line by Line Meaning
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The baby Jesus had no comfortable place to sleep.
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
The baby Jesus went to sleep sweetly, despite his uncomfortable bed.
The stars in the sky look down where He lay
The night sky illuminated Jesus' humble resting place.
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The baby Jesus slept soundly on a bed of hay, despite the discomfort.
The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes
The sound of the cattle was so loud that it woke up the baby Jesus.
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
Despite being woken up, the baby Jesus did not cry.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
The singer expresses their love for Jesus and asks him to pay attention.
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh
The artist asks Jesus to stay by their side until the morning comes.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
The artist requests that Jesus stay close to them and be present.
Close by me forever and love me, I pray
The artist prays that Jesus will always be by their side and love them.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
The singer asks Jesus to take care of all the children in the world.
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there.
The artist asks Jesus to take them to heaven to be with Him.
Contributed by Amelia A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.