In the Bleak Midwinter
The London Chamber Orchestra Lyrics
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Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow-ow-ow on snow
In the bleak midwinter, lo-o-ong ago
Heaven canno-ot hold him, nor-or earth sustain
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day
A brea-east full of milk, and a manger full of hay
Enough for Him, Whom angels fa-a-all before
The ox and ass and camel whi-ich a-adore
Angels and arc angels may have gathered there
Cherubim and seraphim thro-onged the air
But for hi-i-is mother, in her maiden bliss
Worshiped the Belove-ed wi-ith a-a kiss
Wha-at can I give him, poor-oor as I am
If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
But wha-at can I gi-ive Him, gi-ive my heart...
The London Chamber Orchestra's rendition of "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a resonating Christmas carol that speaks of the harshness of winter and the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth. The song opens with a vivid imagery of the winter season, where the frosty wind made moan and the earth stood hard as iron, resonating with the bleakness of the season. Snow had fallen on snow, creating a layer of cold and desolateness. The lyrics then shift to Jesus' birth, where the singer proclaims that even heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain him. This profound statement implies that Jesus is above all worldly things and belongs to a higher order of being.
The next stanza of the song pays homage to Jesus' humble beginnings, as he was born in a stable with a manger full of hay. The song rejoices in the fact that this was enough for him, and that even the ox, ass and camel adored him. The final stanza concludes with a reflection on what the singer can give to Jesus, considering his poor and humble state. The answer is simple but profound, that he will give his heart to Jesus, an act of love and devotion.
Overall, "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a powerful song that reflects on the harshness of winter and the humble majesty of Jesus' birth. It speaks to the heart of Christmas, reminding us of the importance of love, devotion, and humility.
Line by Line Meaning
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan
During the harsh winter, the cold wind wailed mournfully
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
The ground was as unyielding as metal, and water turned to ice
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow-ow-ow on snow
Layers of snow covered the ground, each new layer adding to the existing accumulation
In the bleak midwinter, lo-o-ong ago
This cold and harsh time existed in the distant past
Heaven canno-ot hold him, nor-or earth sustain
God cannot be contained or restricted by any physical space
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign
All that exists will fade away when God's authority is established
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
Even a humble stable was adequate for the birth of the Savior
Lord Go-od A-almighty, Je-esu-us Christ
The powerful and merciful Jesus Christ is the Lord God Almighty
Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day
A humble offering of milk and hay is sufficient for God Almighty, who is worshipped constantly by his angels
A brea-east full of milk, and a manger full of hay
A simple meal of sustenance in the form of milk and hay was enough for the newborn Christ Child
Enough for Him, Whom angels fa-a-all before
The angels bow down in reverent awe before God, who finds humble offerings sufficient
The ox and ass and camel whi-ich a-adore
Even the simple animals present at Christ's birth showed reverence for the new king
Angels and arc angels may have gathered there
It is possible that choirs of angels were present at the birth of Christ
Cherubim and seraphim thro-onged the air
The most powerful and exalted of angels filled the air at the arrival of the Savior
But for hi-i-is mother, in her maiden bliss
But for His mother, who was overjoyed as a young and innocent woman
Worshiped the Belove-ed wi-ith a-a kiss
Mary loved her child, the embodiment of God, with all her heart and worshipped him with a kiss
Wha-at can I give him, poor-oor as I am
What can I, as a poor person, offer to the Savior?
If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb
If I were a shepherd, I would give part of my flock as a gift to the newborn king
If I were a wise man, I would do my part
If I were one of the wise men, I would bring valuable gifts to honor the Messiah
But wha-at can I gi-ive Him, gi-ive my heart...
The only thing I can give Him is my love and my devotion
Lyrics © HOPE PUBLISHING COMPANY , Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOYCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind