Said the night wind to the little lamb,
“Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite,
With a tail as big as a kite.”
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
“Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the the sea,
With a voice as big as the the sea.”
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
“Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold–
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold.”
Said the king to the people everywhere,
“Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light,
He will bring us goodness and light.”
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, [cradle]
‘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.
Away In a Manger YouTube Videos
There are a couple of different tunes for this song. The first video is not what would be the traditional tune we use in the United States, but I love this version of the song.
We Three Kings was written by Reverend John Henry Hopkins, Jr, who was a stained-glass window designer as well as musician. He wrote the music and lyrics to this song. It may have been in use by 1857. Its first appearance in print was in 1863 in the book Carols, Hymns and Song. It is said that its first use was in a Christmas pageant.
We Three Kings
Lyrics
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star.
Chorus:
O Star of wonder, star of night.
Star with royal beauty bright.
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy Perfect Light.
Chorus
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain.
Gold I bring to crown Him again.
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to rein.
Chorus
Frankincense to offer have I.
Incense owns a Deity nigh.
Pray’r and praising, all men raising,
Worship Him, God most high.
Chorus
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume,
Breathes of life of gathering gloom.
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
Chorus
Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice.
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Earth to heav’n replies.
Edmund Hamilton Sears, who was the pastor of the Unitarian Church in Lancaster, Massachusetts, wrote the lyrics to It Came Upon the Midnight Clear in 1849. It was created at the bidding of W.P. Lunt, and it was possibly first sung at a Sunday school celebration. Its first publication was on December 29, 1849 in the Christian Register in Boston.
There are two common tunes. The Carol tune came first and was made by Richard Storrs Willis in 1859. It is the tune commonly used in the USA. In the UK, it is more common to hear the Noel version. This was adapted from a older English song in 1874 or 1875 by Arthur Sullivan.
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Lyrics
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.
And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.
NOTES: Verses 3 and 5 have alternate lyrics that can be used.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the heavenly hymn have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And warring humankind hears not
The tidings which they bring.
O hush, the noise and cease your strife,
And hear the angels sing.
For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old.
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold.
When heaven and earth shall own,
The prince of Peace their King.
And all the world give back the song,
Which now the angels sing.
* Means those two alternatives must be used together
