Cradled in a manger, In a stable bare

I. THE HOLY CHILD:
1 Cradled in a manger,
In a stable bare,
Lies a little infant,
Pure and fair.

2 Over him his mother
Bends with loving eye,
While an old man watches,
Standing by.

3 Far from home, and friendless,
Who so poor as they!
From the crowded inn door
Turned away.

4 Wearied with the journey,
And the hard world's scorn,
Here the mother welcomes
Her first born.

5 Oxen share his shelter,
Cold the night wind blows,
Straw his bed, and rough his
Swaddling clothes.

6 Weak as other infants,
Child of want and care,
Claims he aught but pity,
Lying there?

II. THE MIGHTY GOD:
1 Why does that pale mother
Gaze and tremble so,
Showing deeper joy than
Mothers know?

2 Why, before her baby
Does that mother kneel?
Whence the holy light her
Eyes reveal?

1 Cradled in that manger
Lies the Eternal Son,
Who is with the Father,
Ever One.

2 On that mother's bosom
Sleeps in slumber still
He who ruleth all things
By His will.

3 Mary's child the prophets
Called Immanuel,--
God, with us His creatures
Come to dwell.

4 And the name of Jesus
God by Gabriel gave;
For, from sin His people
He shall save.

5 Faith can see the Angels
Watch around Him now,
And, before the infant,
Humbly bow.

6 Faith can hear them singing
Sweetest songs of praise,
Faith can catch the meaning
Of their lays.

III. THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD:
1 Holy Babe, we worship
At Thy manger throne,
And our Lord and Master
Thee we own.

2 Oh! what love has led Thee
To be born for us,
All Thy power and glory
Hidden thus!

3 Shall Thy love yet bring Thee
Into deeper woe
Than our coarser natures
Ever know?

4 Shalt Thou long and labour
Wandering souls to gain,
Calling sinners to Thee,
And in vain?

5 Shall those hands so tender,
Feel the piercing nails,
While Thy life in torment
Sinks and fails?

6 Shall Thy form hang naked
On the shameful tree--
Friends all fled, and foes all
Mocking Thee?

7 Yes, for this Thou camest
From Thy throne on high,
For us men to suffer,
And to die.

8 On Thy path no sorrow
Shall unlooked for fall,
Thou, from the beginning
Knowest all.

9 Yet, Thy joys are deeper
Than Thy sorrows are,
And Thy zeal to save us
Stronger far.

10 Thou wouldst have us joyful,
Even as Thou art,
Though we keep Thy sorrow
In our heart.

11 We may hail Thy coming,
Saviour, Healer, Friend,
And, with Thee, look forward
To the end.

12 When in our frail nature
Thou hast toiled and died,
Thou shalt rise to heaven,
Glorified.

13 Souls shall fill the mansions
In the home above,
Trophies of Thy sorrow
And Thy love.

IV. THE PRINCE OF PEACE:
1 Now the new Creation
Is in Thee begun,
All that Adam lost us
More than won.

2 Thou art the Incarnate,
God with man made one,
Giving man once more the
Place of Son.

3 Thou art born to free us
From the power of earth,
Building us to Thee in
The New Birth.

4 Thou art born to save us
From the power of sin,
From the evil round us
And within.

5 Thou art born to change us
By Thy grace Divine,
And to make our natures
Like to Thee.

6 Thou hast left Thy glory,
Far beyond the skies,
That with Thee to heaven
We may rise.

7 One with Thee, O Saviour,
May our lives be blest,
One with Thee O bring us
To Thy rest.

8 While by faith we see Thee,
May our hearts adore,
Till our eyes behold Thee
Evermore.

Amen.

Source: Voices of Praise: for school and church and home #41