Christmas Hymns: Away in a Manger

I have been reviewing some modern worship songs, but I’ve taken a break to explore some Advent and Christmas hymns. 😀. Today, I’ve chosen Away in a Manger.

It’s not among my favourites, but it’s one of the carols that we all learned as kids in Ireland. It was first published in the 1880s, often mistakenly attributed to Martin Luther, but now believed to be American in origin. The lyrics are quite simple but do contain a couple of puzzles 😄.

We’re never sure whether to sing “a crib for a bed” or “no crib for a bed.” And what is a crib anyway?

Growing up, we always called the little cave that Jesus was said to be born in a crib. In the Scripture, it’s not at all clear what type of building it was. There was no room at the inn, so they laid him in a manger (where animals fed from). But it could have been a house. It wasn’t unusual for animals to stay in homes.

Even here in Ireland, in Bunratty castle folk park near where I live, they have old Irish cottages where animals and people lived in the same building. This was still the case in rural areas in the mid-19th century.

Anyway, crib actually refers to a “baby bed”, so in that case “no crib” would be correct. But in Christian tradition, a crib refers to the manger scene depicting the birth of Jesus. It usually includes figures of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, animals, and sometimes the Magi. St. Francis of Assisi is credited with popularizing nativity cribs in the 13th century as a way to teach people about the Christmas story.

Another puzzle is the reference to Jesus not crying:

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.

I’ve often heard preachers making the point that when Jesus became human, he became every bit as human as the rest of us, yet without sin. Why should we see a baby crying as sinful? Of course he cried! He didn’t come into the world for an easy life. The greatest suffering was at the cross, but I suspect that he faced all the daily challenges that we all face in life, and more because his life was often under threat, even as a baby. It reminds us that he understands us. Being God, of course he understands us, but perhaps it helps us to see that he went through what we go through:

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

The hymn is short and simple, and why shouldn’t some hymns be like that, especially if they’re written for young children.

1 Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
the stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

2 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.

3 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.

Verse 2 reminds us that we can communicate with Jesus. Being God, he is omnipresent (present everywhere). There’s nothing in Scripture to indicate that we can communicate with angels or humans who have passed away, which is why Protestants don’t pray to saints. But God is always near, only a prayer away.

In verse 3, we pray for all other children, better still, pray for all other people. How does he fit us for heaven? By dying on the cross to take away our sin. And if we repent and trust in him, our sins are forgiven, and we can be confident that we’ll be in heaven. We clearly want to live holy lives, but our lives would never be holy enough. Even if we did our best, our best would never be good enough.

On the night before he died, Jesus was fully aware that his disciples would abandon him and that Peter would deny him three times. Yet, he assured them that he was going to prepare a place for them. His death on the cross the next day would make that possible – in fact it would make it certain for all those who believe.

John 14:2–3
“In my Father’s house are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you.”

John 10:28
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

1 John 5:13
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Philippians 3:20
“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here are a few interesting versions of the hymn: