Once in royal David’s city

1.

Once in royal David’s city

Stood a lowly cattle shed

Where a mother laid her baby

In a manger for His bed

Mary was that mother mild

Jesus Christ her little child

2.

He came down to earth from heaven

Who is God and Lord of all

And His shelter was a stable

And His cradle was a stall

With the poor, and mean and lowly

Lived on earth our Saviour holy

3.

And through all His wondrous childhood

He would honour and obey

Love and watch the lowly maiden

In whose gentle arms He lay

Christian children all must be

Mild, obedient, good as He

4.

For he is our childhood’s pattern

Day by day like us He grew

He was little, weak and helpless

Tears and smiles like us He knew

And He feeleth for our sadness

And He shareth in our gladness

5.

And our eyes at last shall see Him

Through His own redeeming love

For that child so dear and gentle

Is our Lord in heaven above

And He leads His children on

To the place where He is gone

6.

Not in that poor lowly stable

With the oxen standing by

We shall see Him, but in heaven

Set at God’s right hand on high

When like stars His children crown’d

All in white shall wait around