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More often than not at Christmas, I find myself reaching for “Sing lullaby,” a modern carol text by Sabine Baring-Gould. If that name is familar to you, it may be because you know his carol “Gabriel’s Message” or, perhaps, his book on were-wolves.

The Director of Music of St. James Cathedral, Chicago, writes that this carol has become a regular feature of Christmas in that cathedral.

Particularly as Christmastide nears its end, it is fitting to look ahead to the whole of Jesus’ saving work, including his death and resurrection. This carol does that beautifully beginning in the second stanza.

The juxtaposition of the infant Jesus with his death is an affecting one. It appears in various places: the gift of myrrh at Epiphany, one elaborated in Peter Warlock’s carol, “Bethlehem Down”

Sing lullaby.
Lullaby baby, now reclining,
sing lullaby.
Hush, do not wake the infant King.
Angels are watching, stars are shining
over the place where He is lying:
sing lullaby.

Sing lullaby.
Lullaby baby, now a-sleeping,
sing lullaby.
Hush, do not wake the infant King.
Soon will come sorrow with the morning,
soon will come bitter grief and weeping:
sing lullaby.

Sing lullaby. 
Lullaby baby, now a-dozing, 
sing lullaby. 
Hush, do not wake the infant King.
Soon comes the cross, the nails, the piercing,
then in the grave at last reposing:
sing lullaby.

Sing lullaby.
Lullaby, is the babe awaking?
Sing lullaby.
Hush, do not stir the infant King.
Dreaming of Easter, gladsome morning.
Conquering death, its bondage breaking:
sing lullaby.

I am more familiar with the Willcocks arrangement of this tune (as I suspect many of us are), but it’s very good to spend some time with the original, too.

Labels: 12 Carols for Christmas, Christmas, Edgar Pettman, St James Cathedral (Chicago), Stephen Buzard, Warlock, Willcocks