Sleep, My Little Jesus

Words: William Channing Gannett, 1882; written for a Sunday School in St. Paul, Minnesota, and published in The Thought of God, second series, 1894, as "Mary’s Manger-Song."

Music: "Lullaby (Geibel)," Adam Geibel

1. Sleep, my little Jesus,
On Thy bed of hay,
While the shepherds homeward
Journey on their way.
Mother is Thy shepherd
And will her vigil keep:
Did the voices wake Thee?
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep!

Refrain
Softly sleep, sweetly sleep,
My Jesus, sleep!

2. Sleep, my little Jesus,
While Thou art my own!
Ox and ass Thy neighbors,
Shalt Thou have a throne?
Will they call me blessèd?
Shall I stand and weep?
Be it far, Jehovah!
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep! Refrain

3. Sleep, my little Jesus,
Wonder-baby mine!
Well the singing angels
Greet Thee as divine.
Through my heart, as heaven
Low the echoes sweep
Of glory to Jehovah!
O sleep, my Jesus, sleep! Refrain

 

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