In the Bleak Midwinter Lyrics Christina Rossetti, 1872
Sung to Cranham (Irregular), public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. 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.
Verse 2. 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.
Verse 3. 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.
Verse 4. 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.
Where each verse comes from
The selected text has a US witness in Carols Old and Carols New (Boston, 1916), carol 652, pages 538-539; selected stanzas 1, 2, 4 and 5. Earlier editions document the text's history. Capitalization and punctuation follow the page's earlier copy text.
| Verse | Printed in |
|---|---|
| 1 In the bleak mid-winter |
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| 2 Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him |
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| 3 Angels and archangels |
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| 4 What can I give Him |
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Left out here: stanza 3, “Enough for Him, whom cherubim” . Hymnals usually leave it out.
Every verse was published before 1931, so the words are in the public domain in the United States. Your church may print, project and sing this text. Later arrangements and recordings have their own rights.
Words: Christina Rossetti, 1872. Public domain.
The hymn library's slide and print features are made by Church Posting.
The story behind In the Bleak Midwinter
Christina Rossetti published the poem as A Christmas Carol in January 1872. She described a winter landscape, a stable, and the birth of Jesus.
Gustav Holst composed CRANHAM for The English Hymnal in 1906. Rossetti had died in 1894, before that text and tune appeared together.
Rossetti moves from the Lord whom heaven cannot contain to a mother's kiss. In the closing stanza, the singer considers the shepherds and wise men, then offers Christ the heart.
Christina Rossetti
1830 to 1894
Christina Rossetti was an English poet and Anglican Christian. She wrote religious poetry and devotional books. Her Christmas poems include A Christmas Carol and Love Came Down at Christmas.
- Scribner's Monthly, January 1872, University of Ottawa record , read 2026-10-23
- The Poetical Works of Christina Georgina Rossetti , read 2026-10-23
- History of Hymns: In the Bleak Midwinter, C. Michael Hawn , read 2026-10-23
- Luke 2 (King James Version) , read 2026-10-23
- Matthew 2 (King James Version) , read 2026-10-23
Scripture in In the Bleak Midwinter
The Bible passages behind the words, with the verse of the hymn that draws on each.
- Luke 2:7 In verse 2 of the hymn
- Luke 2:13-14 In verse 3 of the hymn
- Matthew 2:11 In verse 4 of the hymn
In the Bleak Midwinter videos
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In the Bleak Midwinter | The Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Choir
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In The Bleak Midwinter - Holst - Tenebrae conducted by Nigel Short Tenebrae Choir, Choir
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In the Bleak Midwinter (Darke) | The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge, Choir
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Print and project
For Sunday
- Slides for In the Bleak Midwinter Every verse. Full screen, or a PowerPoint file that ProPresenter and Keynote open.
- Printable song sheet Every verse of In the Bleak Midwinter on a folded letter-size booklet, with your church's name on the cover.
- Add it to a bulletin Opens the bulletin maker with In the Bleak Midwinter in the order of service.
Questions people ask
Who wrote In the Bleak Midwinter?
Christina Rossetti wrote the poem. Gustav Holst composed the hymn tune CRANHAM.
When was it first published?
Scribner's Monthly printed A Christmas Carol in January 1872. The English Hymnal paired it with CRANHAM in 1906.
How many verses are there?
Rossetti wrote five stanzas. Hymnals usually print four and leave out the third, "Enough for Him, whom cherubim," and this page follows them.
Does the hymn say the Bible records snow at Jesus' birth?
Rossetti uses winter imagery poetically. Luke 2 gives no snowfall account.
What does give my heart mean?
The singer offers personal love and devotion to Christ after considering the gifts of the shepherds and wise men.
Is this text public domain?
Yes. Rossetti published the poem in 1872 and Holst's tune came out in 1906, so both are in the public domain in the United States. A recent choral arrangement can carry its own copyright.
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