Away in a Manger
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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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 wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'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 classic Christmas carol "Away in a Manger" was first published in the 1885 book "Little Children's Book for Schools and Families" along with the melody that we all know today. The lyrics of this hymn have a very clear message that resonates with Christians all around the world. It describes the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born in a humble manger in Bethlehem. The song opens up with the lines "Away in a manger, no crib for His bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head." These lines refer to the humble surroundings in which the baby Jesus was born. His parents couldn't find a place to stay in the overcrowded city, so they had to settle in a stable where animals were kept. The manger, a feeding trough for animals, served as the baby's crib.


The second verse talks about how the stars in the sky shone brightly on the night of Jesus' birth. The song's third verse describes the scene in the stable, where the baby Jesus is asleep on a bed of hay, surrounded by cattle. It then says that Jesus does not cry despite being woken up by the animals' sounds. The final verse is a prayer to Jesus, asking Him to be with the singer until morning and to bless all the children and take them to heaven. This verse highlights the love and devotion towards Jesus.


Overall, the song creates a mood of peacefulness and calm, fitting the serene and holy event it depicts. It is a song that transcends religious beliefs and has become a beloved Christmas carol around the world, with various renditions and covers performed by artists from different genres.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger,
In a place where there was no one around,


No crib for His bed
There was no cradle to lay on,


The little Lord Jesus
A small Lord Jesus,


Laid down His sweet head
Laid down to rest,


The stars in the bright sky
Shining stars up in the sky,


Looked down where He lay
Looking right where the Lord Jesus lay,


The little Lord Jesus
A small Lord Jesus,


Asleep on the hay
Sleeping peacefully on the hay,


The cattle are lowing
Cows mooing,


The poor Baby wakes
The poor baby is awakened,


But little Lord Jesus
Yet, the small Lord Jesus,


No crying He makes
He is not crying,


I love Thee, Lord Jesus
I love you, Lord Jesus,


Look down from the sky
Please look down from above,


And stay by my side,
Stay near me,


'Til morning is nigh.
Until the morning comes,


Be near me, Lord Jesus,
Please, Lord Jesus, be close to me,


I ask Thee to stay
I am asking you to remain,


Close by me forever
Beside me, always,


And love me I pray
I am praying that you love me,


Bless all the dear children
Please bless all the beloved children,


In Thy tender care
In your gentle care,


And take us to heaven
And take us to heaven,


To live with Thee there
To live with You up there.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: William J. Kirkpatrick, Traditional

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@MuppetCommunicator

Such a wonderful version! I love it so much!❤

@miamartinez7183

I love this.

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