Away in a Manger
Vera Lynn 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 baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until 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 fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Away in a Manger" describe the peaceful and humble scene of Jesus being born in a manger, since there was no place for him to be born elsewhere. The song vividly describes how the starry sky and cattle bear witness to the birth of the "little Lord Jesus" who lay peacefully on the hay. The second stanza of the song describes how the baby Jesus awakes from the sound of the cattle but makes no cries, reminding us of the popular Christian phrase 'the meek shall inherit the earth'. The child in the song then professes his love for Jesus, which is a reflection of the true purpose of Christ's coming to earth, to bring love, hope, and peace.


The third verse is a prayer for the Lord to remain near always and to bless and watch over all his children. It is a request for the assurance of the love of God, and for the protection and guidance from the Lord. The last line of the song is a profound exclamation of the ultimate goal of every Christian, which is to be fitted for heaven and to live with the Lord there. The song "Away in a Manger" is a reminder of the true essence and beauty of Christmas, celebrating God's love for humanity, His willingness to come down to earth, and ultimately make a way for humanity to be saved.


Line by Line Meaning

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The baby Jesus was laid in a manger, as there was no proper bed for him.


the little Lord Jesus laid down his Sweet head.
The baby Jesus laid down his head to rest in the manger.


The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The stars shone down on the baby Jesus as he slept in the manger.


The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The baby Jesus slept on a bed of hay in the manger.


The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
The cows were mooing and woke up the baby Jesus.


But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
Despite being awoken by the cows, the baby Jesus did 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 from heaven.


And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
The artist requests that Jesus stay with them until the morning comes.


Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
The artist requests that Jesus stay near them.


Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
The artist prays that Jesus will love them and stay close to them forever.


Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
The singer asks Jesus to bless all the children under his loving care.


And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.
The artist asks Jesus to prepare them for heaven and to live with him there.




Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: William J. Kirkpatrick

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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