Away In A Manger
Red Barn Singers and Orchestra Lyrics

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Away in a manger, no crib for A 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 poor baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to “Away In A Manger” depict the birth of Jesus in a barn, with no proper crib or bed available to welcome him. Despite the humble surroundings, the infant Jesus lies peacefully on a bed of hay, watched over by the stars shining in the clear sky. The cows use their mellowing sounds as a lullaby and Jesus does not cry. This imagery highlights the simplicity and purity of the scene, with nature and animals offering their warmth and tenderness to the newborn savior.

The song speaks to the attitude of humility and love that should be encouraged and embodied during the Christmas season. It is not about grandeur, riches or material possessions, but rather it’s about recognizing the beauty and significance of the world in its most simple and unpresuming form. Lying in a bed of hay with stars as your nightlight and cows singing as your lullaby emphasizes the nature of love and bliss that are created by small but significant moments that we often overlook.

Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for A bed
In a manger, a feeding trough for animals, there was no crib for the baby to rest his head

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
Jesus, the son of God, lay down his gentle head to rest

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay
The stars in the clear night sky shone their light on the place where Jesus lay

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
Jesus, the newborn baby, was peacefully sleeping on the bed of hay

The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes
The cattle are making low sounds, which wake up the poor little baby

But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes
Despite being woken up by the cattle, little Jesus does not cry

Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Derric Johnson, TRAD TRAD, TRAD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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