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Labor Of Love
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Aug 24, 2026 updated
Verified editorial review
Randy Travis's "Labor of Love" reimagines the first Christmas with gritty realism, focusing on the physical hardship and emotional strain of Jesus's birth. The song contrasts the traditional peaceful nativity with the painful, messy reality of a young woman giving birth in a cold, unclean stable, with only Joseph's support. It emphasizes Mary's vulnerability and Joseph's faithful care, while acknowledging that the baby is the Creator and Author of faith. The repeated refrain "labor of love" highlights the sacrificial love behind the incarnation, making the familiar story feel personal and profound.
Lyrics Verified by Editorial Team
It was not a silent night, there was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry in the alleyway that night on the streets of David's town
And the stable was not clean and the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace with tears upon her face had no mother's hand to hold
It was a labor of pain, it was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark with every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
Noble Joseph by her side, callused hands and weary eyes
No midwives to be found on the streets of David's town in the middle of the night
So he held her and he prayed, shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb, he was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the Faith that could make the mountains move
It was a labor of pain, it was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark with every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace, with tears on her face
It was a labor of love
It was not a silent night, on the streets of David's town