Away In a Manger
Third Day Feat. Derri Daugherty & Julie Miller Lyrics


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Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus, lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky, look 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 cradle 'till 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

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
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there

Overall Meaning

The song "Away in a Manger" tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, who was born in a manger because there was no room for Him or His family in the inn. The lyrics describe the peaceful scene of a sleeping baby Jesus, surrounded by the stars in the sky and the lowing cattle. Despite the humble circumstances, the little Lord Jesus is revered and loved.


The second verse of the song turns to the perspective of the singer, who is asking Jesus to stay close by and bless all the children. The plea for Jesus to remain close is a common theme in many religious hymns and is an expression of the desire for divine protection and guidance.


Overall, "Away in a Manger" captures the essence of the Christmas story and the Christian faith, emphasizing the importance of love, humility, and the belief in the presence of God. It is a beloved classic that has been sung by generations of Christians around the world.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The child is lying in a manger, as there is no proper place for him to sleep.


The little Lord Jesus, lay down His sweet head
The child Jesus has found comfort in sleeping in the manger.


The stars in the sky, look down where He lay
The stars are shining above, watching over the child as he sleeps.


The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay
Jesus is sleeping peacefully on the hay in the manger.


The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes
The sound of the cattle is waking up the baby Jesus.


But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
Despite being woken by the cattle, Jesus does not cry.


I love Thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
The singer expresses their love for Jesus and asks him to look down on them from heaven.


And stay by my cradle 'till morning is nigh
The artist asks Jesus to remain with them and watch over them until morning arrives.


Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
The artist is asking Jesus to stay close to them.


Close by me forever and love me, I pray
The artist is asking for Jesus' eternal love and companionship.


Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
The singer is asking Jesus to bless all the children under his care.


And take us to heaven to live with Thee there
The artist is asking Jesus to bring them to heaven to live with him.


And take us to heaven to live with Thee there
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis.




Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: JONATHAN E. SPILLMAN, JAMES R. MURRAY, William J. Kirkpatrick

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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