It is unknown who wrote it or when, but it is a traditional African American song. The lyrics are based on Isaiah 9:6-7 and Luke 2.
I have sung this song, and I love the song, but I had to change some of the words of the verse before I could sing it. "He was herald": It should be "heralded" (past tense). "Born in a lowly manger": Manger here should be stable. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger. I also removed the "three" in "Three wise men" because the Bible doesn't say how many there were.
It is unknown who wrote it or when, but it is a traditional African American song. The lyrics are based on Isaiah 9:6-7 and Luke 2.
I have sung this song, and I love the song, but I had to change some of the words of the verse before I could sing it. "He was herald": It should be "heralded" (past tense). "Born in a lowly manger": Manger here should be stable. He was born in a stable and laid in a manger. I also removed the "three" in "Three wise men" because the Bible doesn't say how many there were.