by Judy Lee Jenkins
One of my favorite Christmas Carols is this song. I was curious as to how this song came about so I looked up the history. The lyrics were written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix who I believe was an Englishman. The lyrics came as a result of him seeking God and finding redemption through a severe illness. Though a manager of an insurance company, his illness had put him in bed and left him with severe depression. Because he nearly died, he sought out God like never before and wrote a poem called MANGER THRONE. The lyrics were taken from this poem and later put to the well known English ballad called GREENSLEEVES. Because of it’s beautiful haunting melody, they no doubt chose that melody for this man’s beautiful lyrics of MANGER THRONE. The song then became labeled as the familiar Christmas song we all know and love.
I had just written a lullaby which now is the lullaby for my new little granddaughter. Last year I decided to do my own arrangement of this beautiful Carol by inserting my lullaby within this beautiful song. I did this imagining what lullaby Mary may have sung to this wondrous child that became our Savior, Lord, Redeemer and God in human flesh. The words are as follows:
WHAT CHILD IS THIS, WHO LAID TO REST
IN MARY’S ARM IS SLEEPING,
WHOM ANGELS GREET WITH ANTHEMS SWEET,
WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCH ARE KEEPING?
THIS, THIS IS CHRIST THE KING,
WHOM SHEPHERDS GUARD AND ANGELS SING,
HASTE, HASTE, TO BRING HIM LAUD,
THE BABE, THE SON OF MARY,
SO BRING HIM INCENSE, GOLD AND MYRRH,
COME PEASANT KING TO OWN HIM,
THE KING OF KING SALVATION BRINGS,
LET LOVING HEARTS ENTHRONE HIM.
THIS, THIS IS CHRIST THE KING,
WHOM SHEPHERDS GUARD AND ANGELS SING,
HASTE, HASTE, TO BRING HIM LAUD,
THE BABE, THE SON OF MARY.
RAISE, RAISE THE SONG ON HIGH
THE VIRGIN SINGS HER LULLABY,
JOY, JOY, FOR CHRIST IS BORN,
THE BABE, THE SON OF MARY.
my lullaby insert
STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN, YES YOUR ARE,
MY LITTLE BABY, MY SHINNING STAR,
MAMA’S GOT YOU SAFE WITHIN MY ARMS,
AS ANGELS WATCH PROTECTING YOU FROM HARM,
MY LITTLE ONE, MY LITTLE ONE, MY LITTLE ONE,
ON YOU SHINES THE STARS, MOON AND SUN,
MY ANGEL, MY JEWEL, MY PRECIOUS SWEET LITTLE ONE,
MY LITTLE ONE, MY LITTLE ONE, MY LITTLE ONE.