Winwood released a new album "Nine Lives" on April 29, 2008, and started a tour with Tom Petty and others in May 2008.
Christmas Is Now Drawing Near At Hand
Steve Winwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come serve the Lord and be at His command
And God a portion for you will provide
And give a blessing to your soul beside
Down in the garden where flowers grow in ranks
Down on your bended knees and give the Lord thanks
Down on your knees and pray both night and day
So proud and lofty is some sort of sin
Which many take delight and pleasure in
Whose conversation God doth much dislike
And yet He shakes His sword before He strikes
So proud and lofty do some people go
Dressing themselves like players in the show
They patch and paint and dress with idle stuff
As if God had not made them fine enough
Even little children learn to curse and swear
And can't recite one word of Godly prayer
Oh, teach them better, oh, teach them to rely
On Christ the sinner's friend, who reigns on high
The song "Christmas Is Now Drawing Near At Hand" by Steve Winwood is a traditional English ballad that calls upon listeners to serve the Lord and seek God's blessings. The lyrics begin by reminding us that Christmas is near and that we should be at the Lord's command. The song urges us to be of service to Him and promises us that He will provide for us and bless our souls. The idea behind this verse is to inspire people to become closer to their faith during the holiday season.
The second verse directs us down to the garden, where we should get down onto our bended knees and give thanks to the Lord. We are also urged to pray and leave our sins behind, living an upright life. The third verse speaks of the vanity of life and how people take pride in their looks and material possessions. However, the song tells us that God dislikes such conversations, and yet He warns with a sword before He strikes.
The fourth verse highlights the idea that even children learn bad habits, such as cursing and not reciting prayers. The song urges us as adults to teach them better, to rely on Christ as the sinner's friend, who reigns on high. The idea behind this verse is that we must all strive to be better people, to love and care for each other, and embrace the true meaning of Christmas, which is about peace, love, and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
Christmas is now drawing near at hand
The holiday season is upon us
Come serve the Lord and be at His command
Attend religious services and follow God's teachings
And God a portion for you will provide
God will provide for your needs
And give a blessing to your soul beside
God will also bless your spirit
Down in the garden where flowers grow in ranks
In a place of natural beauty
Down on your bended knees and give the Lord thanks
Express gratitude to God through prayer
Down on your knees and pray both night and day
Make prayer a regular part of your daily routine
Leave off your sins and live upright, I pray
Avoid sin and follow a righteous path
So proud and lofty is some sort of sin
Sin can sometimes be alluring and tempting
Which many take delight and pleasure in
Some people enjoy sinful behavior
Whose conversation God doth much dislike
God disapproves of such behavior
And yet He shakes His sword before He strikes
God may give warnings before punishing sinners
So proud and lofty do some people go
Some people are vain and conceited
Dressing themselves like players in the show
Dressing ostentatiously and showing off
They patch and paint and dress with idle stuff
Decorating themselves with frivolous items
As if God had not made them fine enough
Behaving as if their natural beauty is insufficient
Even little children learn to curse and swear
Some children are exposed to negative behaviors
And can't recite one word of Godly prayer
But don't know how to pray or follow religious teachings
Oh, teach them better, oh, teach them to rely
Educate children to follow a better path
On Christ the sinner's friend, who reigns on high
Encourage children to trust in Jesus, who guides and supports sinners
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Steve Winwood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind