In the Bleak Midwinter

Lyrics to the Christmas carol In the Bleak Midwinter.

About

History and facts about In the Bleak Midwinter.

  • The lyrics to The Christmas carol In the Bleak Midwinter was written by the English poet Christina Rossetti.
  • Rossetti wrote the poem in 1872 (or earlier) as a response to the magazine Scribner’s Monthlys request for a Christmas poem.
  • When Gustav Holst composed a melody to the poem in 1906 a new Christmas carol was born.
  • Another popular version was composed by Harold Darke’s in 1909.
  • In the Bleak Midwinter has been recorded by Annie Lennox, Julie Andrews, James Taylor and Sarah Brightman among many others.

Lyrics

Lyrics to In the Bleak Midwinter.

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.