The Hands That First Held Mary's Child

Lyrics

[Verse 1] The hands that first held Mary's child Were hard from working wood From boards they sawed and nailed and filed And splinters they withstood [Verse 2] This day they gripped no tool of steel They drove no iron nail But cradled from the head to heel Our Lord, newborn and frail [Verse 3] When Joseph marveled at the size Of that small breathing frame And gazed upon those bright new eyes And spoke the infant's name [Verse 4] The angel's voice he once had dreamed Poured out from heaven's height And like the host of starts that gleamed Blessed earth with welcome light [Chorus] This Child shall be Emmanuel Not God upon a throne But God-with-us, Emmanuel As close as blood and bone [Verse 5] The tools which Joseph laid aside A mob would later lift And use with anger, fear and pride To crucify God's gift [Verse 6] Let us, O Lord, not only hold The Child who's born today But charged with faith, may we behold To follow in His way [Bridge] The tiny form in Joseph's palms Confirmed what he had heard And from his heart rose hymns and psalms For heaven's human Word [Chorus] This Child shall be Emmanuel Not God upon a throne But God-with-us, Emmanuel As close as blood and bone This Child shall be Emmanuel Not God upon a throne But God-with-us, Emmanuel [Post-Chorus] As close as blood and bone [Outro] As close as blood and bone