Christopher Eaton (b 1958), English Contemporary Christian Music songwriter, wrote the music and original words for this song. His music is not well known in America, but England’s number 1 Christmas song in 1990 was “Saviour’s Day,” written by Eaton in 1989 and recorded by Cliff Richard.

Amy Grant (b 1960), American singer and songwriter, revised Eaton’s lyrics, changing the narrator from a present-day believer to the Virgin Mary: a teenage mother-to-be trying to understand the enormity of her task. Grant is perhaps best known for her performance of Michael Card’s “El Shaddai,” and for co-writing “Thy Word” with Michael W. Smith.

In both Eaton’s and Grant’s versions, the song is a heartfelt prayer: you feel the singer’s deep faith and deep need, interwoven. This is conveyed with elegant simplicity in the closing line of the third stanza: “Help me be strong. Help me be. Help me.”

I have traveled many moonless nights
Cold and weary with a babe inside
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy Father, you have come
And chosen me now to carry your son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now. Be with me now.

Breath of Heaven, hold me together.
Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven.
Breath of Heaven, light in my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness, for you are holy.
Breath of Heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong. Help me be. Help me.

Breath of Heaven, hold me together.
Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven.
Breath of Heaven, light in my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness, for you are holy.

Breath of Heaven, hold me together.
Be forever near me, breath of heaven.
Breath of Heaven, light in my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness, for you are holy.
Breath of Heaven. Breath of Heaven. Breath of Heaven.

Here’s a youtube mashup of the Amy Grant CD version with scenes from the 2006 movie, “The Nativity Story.”