Scripture Verse

She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Introduction

portrait
Claude W. Foss
1855–1935

Words: Abel Burck­hardt (1802–1882). Trans­lat­ed to Swe­dish by Bet­ty Posse, 1851 (När jul­dags­mor­gon glim­mar). Trans­lat­ed from Swe­dish to Eng­lish by Claude W. Foss in the Hym­nal (Rock Is­land, Il­li­nois: Lu­ther­an Au­gus­ta­na Book Con­cern, 1899).

Ag­ne­tha Fält­skog, of the group ABBA, and her daught­er Lin­da Ul­va­eus, re­cord­ed this song with the orig­in­al Swed­ish lyr­ics. As of 2021, their vi­deo was avail­a­ble on the You­Tube web site.

Music: Jul­dags­mor­gon Ger­man folk tune, 1823 (🔊 pdf nwc). The me­lo­dy al­so ap­pears in Jo­han­nes Brahms’ 1880 Ac­a­de­mic Fes­tiv­al Ov­er­ture, Op­us 80.

portrait
Abel Burckhardt
1805–1882

Lyrics

When Christmas morn is dawning
In faith I would repair
Unto the lowly manger;
My Savior lieth there,
Unto the lowly manger;
My Savior lieth there.

How kind, O loving Savior,
To come from Heav’n above;
From sin and evil save us,
And keep us in Thy love,
From sin and evil save us,
And keep us in Thy love.

We need Thee, blessèd Jesus,
Our dearest friend Thou art;
Forbid that we by sinning
Should grieve Thy loving heart,
Forbid that we by sinning
Should grieve Thy loving heart,