Scripture Verse

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:20

Introduction

portrait
William C. Gannett (1840–1923)

Words: Will­iam C. 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 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Adam Geibel (1855–1933)

Lyrics

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!

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

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