Away In a Manger
Ralph Carmichael Lyrics

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Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing the poor baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
I love thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle till morning is night

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

Overall Meaning

The song “Away in a Manger” is a traditional Christmas carol that has been sung for many generations. It speaks to the humble circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ, who was born in a manger because there was no room in the inn. The first verse speaks of the meager setting of the baby’s birth, with no crib or bed available, but describes the serene peace of the sleeping child under the watchful stars. The second verse describes how the baby is awakened by the lowing of the cattle, but instead of crying, he remains peaceful in his sleep. The third verse is a prayer to Jesus, asking for him to come near and to stay by the side of the person singing the song. Throughout the prayer, the song also mentions the “dear children” who are also under Jesus’ care and guidance.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The place where the baby Jesus slept was humble, lacking even a proper bed.

The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
The child, who was the Lord Jesus, laid his head on a makeshift pillow.

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The starry sky provided a good view of where the child was sleeping.

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
The infant Christ was sleeping soundly on a bed of hay.

The cattle are lowing the poor baby awakes
The noise of the cattle around the manger caused the baby to stir from his sleep.

But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
Although the baby was awoken, he did not fuss or cry.

I love thee Lord Jesus look down from the sky
The singer expresses their love for Jesus and asks him to acknowledge them.

And stay by my cradle till morning is night
The artist requests the continued presence of Jesus by their side as they sleep.

Be near me Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay
The artist makes another heartfelt plea for the company of Christ.

Close by me forever and love me I pray
The artist requests not only proximity, but also the eternal love of Jesus.

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
The singer requests that all children be blessed with the love and protection of Jesus.

And take us to Heaven to live with Thee there
The ultimate prayer of the artist is to join Jesus in Heaven, after the trials and tribulations of life on Earth.

Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANKE, LUTHER, MUELLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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