Bethlehem’s fame, in unblemished grace,

In Bethlehem ‘neath the starry night,

Not a cozy cradle, not a bed so grand,

but a manger of stone was the usual sight.

A vessel of protection in that ancient land.

In the stony manger, a safeguarding embrace.

A trough for feeding, rough and stark,

crafted from stone, not like in manger scenes,

chosen with purpose, in the depths of the dark,

as a haven for lambs, in the land of dreams.

For lambs of perfection, in this sacred space,

were wrapped in cloth to protect, tight, and secure,

A sign for the shepherds, a message profound,

The lambs of sacrifice, the stone manger kept pure.

Now a baby lies swaddled, in a manger bound.

Shepherds, guardians of the flocks they keep,

The Shephards understood this newborn’s place,

“This will be a sign,” the angels declare,

A symbol of salvation, beyond compare.

In cloth and in manger, a parallel clear,

The Lamb of God, without blemish or smear.

Understand the symbolism, in the quiet and the deep.

Not just a babe in a swaddling all dressed,

But God incarnate, the sinless guest.

Here the prophesy of sacrifice begun,

To reconcile the world, through God’s own Son.

A perfect Lamb, in a manger asleep,

So, in this season, with joy, we sing,

Of the Perfect Lamb, our Savior and King.

In a humble manager, salvation’s story we find,

A gift of redemption for all humankind,

By the Messiah’s arrival, the world to keep.