Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ~ Isaiah 7:14
Christmas Song Lyrics Compiled by Charles P. Scott
Gentle Mary Laid Her Child
Lyrics
Gentle Mary laid her Child
Lowly in a manger.
There He lay, the Undefiled,
To the world a stranger.
Such a Babe in such a place,
Can He be the Savior?
Ask the saved of all the race
Who have found His favor.
Angels sang about His birth,
Wise men sought and found Him.
Heaven's star shone brightly forth
Glory all around Him.
Shepherds saw the wondrous sight,
Hear the angels singing.
All the plains were lit that night,
All the hills were ringing.
Gentle Mary laid her Child
Lowly in a manger.
He is still the Undefiled,
But no more a stranger.
Son of God of humble birth,
Beautiful the story.
Praise His name in all the earth.
Hail! The King of Glory!
About This Song
Joseph Cook (1859-1933) entered a Christmas carol-writing contest in 1919. He was not known as a poet, but he had some ideas he thought should be presented in a Christmas carol. Many of the Protestant carols seemed to neglect Mary, he thought, so he wrote a carol to give her proper honor.
After all, the angel had announced to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28), and Mary’s Magnificat, in Luke 1 is one of the most beautiful songs of the Bible. Joseph put the spotlight on the verse that says, “She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in snuggly strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them” (Luke 2:7).
By the way, Joseph Cook’s entry in that carol-writing contest… this song… won first prize.
