The Cyber Hymnal ‎#2974

2974. An Infant Lay Within a Shed

1. An Infant lay within a shed,
Where ox and ass were tied and fed;
Hard by there stood a maiden mild;
’Twas Mary, mother to the child.

Refrain
My God, my Lord, Jesus,
’Twas He was cradled thus.

2. With voices sweet in awe to Him
There sung a choir of seraphim,
Praise, worship, glory, loud they cry,
To God whose kingdom fills the sky. [Refrain]

3. The herds, when they thereof heard say,
Anon with gladness went their way
To Bethlem; when they found Him there,
That noble child, full fain they were. [Refrain]

4. A bright star at the self-same tide
Was by the three good kings espied:
Afar from eastern land they fare;
A goodly present each doth bear. [Refrain

5. Before yon babe, of high degree,
They kneel and pray on bended knee,
Presenting gifts with reverence,
Of gold, and myrrh, and frankincense. [Refrain]

6. Then Herod King, in mood unmild,
Assayed to slay the royal child;
Fell many a babe at his command,
But Christ was safe in Egypt-land. [Refrain]

7. When thirty years were fully past
This infant, He was crossed at last,
Was dead, and buried tomb within,
That man eternal life might win. [Refrain]

8. But, on the third day, nothing else,
He rose again, as Gospel tells:
Ascended to His Father-land,
There sitteth He at God’s right hand. [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: An Infant lay within a shed
• Title: An Infant Lay Within a Shed
• German Title: Ach lieber Herre Jesu Christ
• Author: Heinrich von Laufenberg, 1390-1460
• Translator (from German): George R. Woodward
• Refrain First Line: My God, my Lord, Jesus
• Language: English
• Source: The Cowley Carol Book, 1901-1919, alt.
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: [An Infant lay within a shed]
• Composer: Anonymous (15th Century)
• Harmonizer: George R. Woodward (ca. 1919)
• Incipit: 17671 65517 63543
• Key: E♭ Major
• Source: 15th Cen­tu­ry tune "in the Phryg­i­an Mode"
• Copyright: Public Domain