Away In A Manger
Sarah McLachlan 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 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
'Til 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 take us to heaven
To live with Thee there

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Away in a Manger" describe the birth of Jesus in a humble and peaceful setting. The first verse sets the scene of Jesus being born in a manger instead of a crib, highlighting his humble beginnings. The second verse mentions the stars shining down on baby Jesus while he lay on the hay, creating a serene and peaceful environment for his birth. The third verse has a touch of realism, depicting cattle making noise and waking up the baby Jesus. However, the baby does not cry and instead remains calm, demonstrating his peaceful and divine nature.


The final two verses are a personal prayer to Jesus, asking for his presence and protection. The fourth and fifth verses speak to Jesus, asking him to stay close forever and demonstrating a deep love for him. The final line is a plea for Jesus to bless all the children and guide his followers to heaven so they may live with him in eternal peace.


Overall, "Away in a Manger" is a beautiful and serene depiction of the birth of Jesus. The lyrics are heartfelt and intimate, capturing both the joy and peacefulness of the holiday season.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger
Jesus was born in a manger


No crib for His bed
There was no proper bed for baby Jesus


The little Lord Jesus
Jesus was a little baby


Laid down His sweet head
He rested His head on the hay


The stars in the bright sky
The stars shone brightly


Looked down where He lay
The stars looked down on the place where Jesus lay


The little Lord Jesus
Again, Jesus was a little baby


Asleep on the hay
He was sound asleep on the bed of hay


The cattle are lowing
The cows are making noise


The poor baby awakes
Jesus woke up from His sleep


But little Lord Jesus
But He did not cry


No crying He makes
He did not cry


I love Thee, Lord Jesus
The singer loves Jesus


Look down from the sky
Jesus is being asked to look down from heaven


And stay by my cradle
The singer wants Jesus to stay by her side


'Til morning is nigh
Until morning comes


Be near me, Lord Jesus
The singer wants Jesus to be close to her


I ask Thee to stay
She is asking Jesus to stay with her


Close by me forever
She wants Jesus to be with her forever


And love me I pray
She is asking Jesus to love her


Bless all the dear children
She is asking God to bless all the children


In Thy tender care
She trusts that the children are being cared for tenderly by God


And take us to heaven
She asks God to take all of them to heaven


To live with Thee there
So that they can live with Jesus in heaven




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: Sarah Mclachlan, Traditional, Pierre Marchand

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Jaded Hart


on In The Arms Of The Angels

This will surely make you cry! Everyone can identify with this song! Hear it you won't regret it. And maybe you'll remember!

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