Away in a Manger Lyrics: History and Meaning of the Carol

“Away in a manger, No crib for his bed, The little Lord Jesus Laid down his sweet head” is often the first Christmas carol children learn. It paints the scene St. Luke describes: the Son of God laid in a manger “because there was no room for them in the inn.” Below are the lyrics, the surprising history of the carol, the Gospel behind it, and a bedtime prayer for children.

Away in a Manger lyrics

As printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920):

Away in a manger,
No crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down his sweet head,
The stars in the sky
Looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus,
Asleep in 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
Until morning is nigh.

Many hymnals add a third stanza that begins “Be near me, Lord Jesus,” a child’s prayer for God’s care and for heaven.

Who wrote Away in a Manger?

For many years the carol was called “Luther’s Cradle Hymn,” and people believed Martin Luther wrote it for his children. That story is not true. The first two stanzas were published anonymously in Philadelphia in 1885, in a Lutheran children’s book, and the attribution to Luther appeared soon after, possibly linked to the 400th anniversary of his birth in 1883. The third stanza was added a few years later.

In America the carol is usually sung to the tune Mueller by James R. Murray (1887); in Britain and Ireland it is sung to Cradle Song by William J. Kirkpatrick (1895).

The Gospel behind the carol

St. Luke tells how Jesus was born in Bethlehem:

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David,
To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

A manger is a feeding trough for animals. The King of the universe was laid where the cattle ate, a sign of his humility and a hint that he would give himself as food in the Eucharist.

The first Nativity scene

The scene of the carol is the scene of the Christmas crib. In 1223, at Greccio in Italy, St. Francis of Assisi set up a manger with an ox and a donkey and had Mass celebrated there on Christmas night, so that people could see with their own eyes the poverty of the infant Jesus. The custom of the Nativity scene spread from there. See the Feast of St. Francis.

What the carol means

God became little: “the little Lord Jesus” is the eternal Son of God, who became a child for us.
Poverty and humility: “No crib for his bed.” Jesus chose to be born poor.
Peace: the sleeping child, the stars and the cattle create a picture of peace that children can understand.
A child’s prayer: “I love thee, Lord Jesus… And stay by my side Until morning is nigh.” The carol becomes a night prayer.

A bedtime prayer for children

Written for this page:

Little Lord Jesus, you slept in a manger in Bethlehem.
I love you, and I thank you for coming to be with us.
Stay by my side through the night,
bless my family and all children everywhere,
and bring us all one day to live with you in heaven. Amen.

See more Catholic night prayers and prayers for children.

Frequently asked questions

Did Martin Luther write Away in a Manger?

No. The carol first appeared anonymously in Philadelphia in 1885. The story that Luther wrote it is a legend.

What is a manger?

A trough or box from which animals eat. Jesus was laid in one after his birth (Luke 2:7).

Why are there two tunes for Away in a Manger?

Americans usually sing it to Mueller by James R. Murray; in Britain and Ireland it is sung to Cradle Song by William J. Kirkpatrick.

More for Christmas

Texts and sources

Lyrics: anonymous (Philadelphia, 1885), as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), no. 44, public domain (Wikisource).
Scripture: Luke 2:4–7, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayer was written for this page.