In The Bleak Midwinter
The Choir And Orchestra Of Clare College Cambridge Lyrics
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Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone,
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain,
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air,
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a song that captures the stillness and coldness of winter, with lyrics that paint a picture of a harsh and unforgiving season. The imagery of the first stanza is stark and almost brutal- the wind is described as moaning, the earth being as hard as iron and water feeling like stone, which all give the impression of a frozen and unyielding landscape. The repetition of "snow on snow" emphasizes the depth of the snowfall and the emptiness of this world. The second stanza turns to the theme of the incarnation- the idea that the infinite, omnipotent God would become a helpless infant, needing nothing more than a stable as a place to sleep. It speaks of the paradox of a It also references how Christ's coming will cause even the heavens and the earth to shake. The final stanza is a reflection on the Christian concept of giving- the idea that those who have nothing material to offer Jesus Christ can give their hearts, which is the purest and most meaningful gift of all.
Line by Line Meaning
In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan,
During a cold winter with harsh winds, the low moaning sounds of the wind are heard.
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone,
The ground is frozen and hard like iron, and the water is so cold it has turned to ice.
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
There has been a great amount of snowfall, with layers and layers of snow covering the ground and buildings.
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
This scene is being described from a time in the distant past during a harsh winter.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain,
God is so powerful that neither heaven nor earth can contain Him.
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
When God comes to rule, even heaven and earth will be affected and will disappear.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
During this harsh winter, even a humble stable was enough to provide shelter.
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
The baby born in that stable was none other than Jesus Christ, the powerful and mighty Lord God.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
It is possible that heavenly beings like angels and archangels were present at the scene in the stable.
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air,
It is possible that even more powerful angelic beings like cherubim and seraphim were present around the stable in the air.
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
While many heavenly beings may have been present, the only person there to adore the newborn Jesus with pure happiness and bliss was his mother, the Virgin Mary.
Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.
Mary showed her love for the baby Jesus by worshipping him with a kiss.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
The singer wonders what they could possibly give to Jesus as a gift, especially since they are poor.
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb,
If the singer were a shepherd, they would bring a lamb as a gift for Jesus.
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part,
If the singer were a Wise Man like the ones who visited Jesus after his birth, they would do their part by bringing gifts.
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
The artist realizes that they can't give material gifts, but they can give Jesus their heart and love.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BARRY WALSH MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: THOMAS STRONG, CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, BARRY WALSH, GRETCHEN PETERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind