During the past couple of years when I have asked people for Christmas songs to research and write about, most of the titles suggested have been familiar, but one was suggested that I had never heard of (and to my knowledge, never heard!) before – “Who is He in Yonder Stall?” The person mentioned that though they are fond of this song, it seems to have become forgotten, so I am guessing that I am not the only person who is not familiar with it. After looking at this song, I realized this might be a perfect song to conclude the 2022 edition “Songs of Christmas” series (I’m planning on doing it again in 2023 as there are many good songs I have yet to get to). I say this because the song speaks about the events of Christmas, but also goes on to mention what happens to Jesus after Christmas – reminding us that this is just the beginning of an even greater story. 

The Story
This song was written by Benjamin Russell Hanby who was born in 1833 in Ohio, where his father served as a bishop and was part of the Underground Railroad. Hanby would follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a minister in the United Brethren Church and actively opposing slavery. In addition to working with the Underground Railroad, Hanby would also compose an anti-slavery song called “Darling Nelly Gray” in 1856 that became very popular with abolitionists. Music and songwriting seemed to be his greatest gifts and passions, as he would continue to write music throughout his life and eventually leave his post as a pastor to oversee a singing school. Unfortunately, his life was cut short at the age of 33 due to tuberculosis. However, in his short time on earth, he composed at least 60 songs including “Who is He Who Yonder Stall?” a year before his death (it may have been the last song he composed). A couple of years earlier, he wrote a secular Christmas song that is more widely known and sung today – “Up on the Housetop.” That song was likely inspired by the 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (commonly known as The Night Before Christmas and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) and tells the story of Santa Claus coming down from the roof to the chimney to deliver toys. His less widely known “Christmas” song has a much different tone and message – and comes from a much different place. 

The Song
There are two things I want to note before digging into this song – one involves the word “yonder” and the other is which words we will be looking at in this song. 

First, I figured it might be good to explain the word “yonder” as it is not exactly a word we frequently use. It essentially means “at some distance in that direction” or “over there.” So, basically the name of the song (from its first line) is saying “who is in that stall over there?” with the word “stall” being used in its meaning of a compartment for an animal. While we don’t typically use the word “stall” in describing Jesus’s birth, this word is a good reminder that “manger” is not a crib but rather a feeding trough; Jesus was born and then was residing with the animals. 

Second, like many hymns, there are a couple of different versions out there with some minor differences in wording. It seems that the original writing by Hanby had eight stanzas, but in the course of time, stanzas were combined (to make four verses instead of eight) and a stanza was removed along with three other stanzas added to form the version that most who know this song are familiar with

When you look at the words, you discover that “Who is He in Yonder Stall?” is an interesting Christmas song as it is only the first lines of the song that deals with the events of Christmas. The rest of the song walks through the life of Christ, which is actually the reason some hymnals don’t include it in the “Christmas section” but rather in the section of songs focusing on the life of Christ. 

Verse one begins “Who is he in yonder stall [some hymnals modernize this to say “Who is he born in the stall”]/at whose feet the shepherds fall?” This recounts how the shepherds heard about the birth of Jesus and then came to see him (though it never directly says that they fall and worship him like the Magi do in Matthew 2:11). At this point, Hanby’s original says “Who is he, in yonder cot/Bending to his toilsome lot?” that seems to refer to Jesus’s childhood and/or growing up as a carpenter’s son. This line is not included in the more common version today, perhaps because it is a bit confusing or less tied to a particular biblical text. Hanby’s next stanza is now commonly the second part of the first verse and says “Who is he in deep distress/fasting in the wilderness?” The song moves from Jesus’s birth and placement in the manger (described in Luke 2) to Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness (described in Luke 4). The pattern of asking questions is then broken in the refrain, which says,

‘Tis the Lord, O wondrous story!
‘Tis the Lord, the King of glory!
At his feet we humbly fall,
Crown him, crown him Lord of all!

This refrain reflects how the song doesn’t walk through the story of Christmas but the story of Jesus’s life, and it invites us to worship and praise Him. The second verse then moves to his ministry of teaching and healing, saying “Who is he the people bless/for his words of gentleness?/Who is he to whom they bring/all the sick and sorrowing?” This verse appears to be one of the added stanzas rather than from Hanby himself; this addition seems to help the song give a more complete narrative of Jesus’s life.

While looking at the birth story in Luke with the reference to shepherds in the first verse, the third verse shows that this song does not constrain itself to only reflecting on the description of Jesus’s life found in that gospel, as it remarks about his tears at the death of Lazarus before raising him from the dead in John 11: “Who is he that stands and weeps/at the grave where Lazarus sleeps?” The second part of this third verse, which also does not seem to be in the original, is a description of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus: “Who is he the gath’ring throng/greet with loud triumphant song?”

The fourth verse moves to his suffering and death, beginning with his prayers in Gethsemane “Lo! at midnight, who is he/ prays in dark Gethsemane?” and then his death on the cross “Who is he upon the tree/dies in grief and agony?” The song does not end with his death but with his resurrection from the grave and ascension to heaven to reign and rule from his throne there: “Who is he that from the grave/comes to heal and help and save?/Who is he that from his throne/rules thro’ all the world alone?” Between each of these verses, the refrain reminds us that Jesus is the King of Glory who we should crown Lord of all.

One thing that I really appreciate about this song is that it is a reminder that the birth of Jesus is just the beginning of his work. His birth is required for him to be able to do his work, but his birth is not sufficient in that he needs to live, die, rise again, and be lifted up into heaven to save us. The Christmas story is just the first couple of chapters of a much bigger story – one that is glorious and should provoke praise in us! Each stage of Jesus’s life was important and should be reflected upon. The use of questions in walking through the life of Jesus recalls a bit of what we see even in the New Testament itself, as people ask repeatedly “Who is this man?” and Jesus even asks his disciples “Who am I?” It is not just enough to know the story of Christmas and the story of Jesus – we need to reflect upon it for ourselves and respond with worship and praise.

As we move past the Christmas season into the new year, may we remember and celebrate all of Jesus’s life – not just his birth – and may it provoke praise and thankfulness in us!

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