Once in Royal David’s City

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.

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 Sav­ior ho­ly.

And

through all His won­drous child­hood

He would hon­or and ob­ey

Love and watch the low­ly maid­en

In whose gen­tle arms He lay:

Christian child­ren all must be

Mild

obe­di­ent

good as He.

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.

And our eyes at last shall see Him

Through His own re­deem­ing love

For that Child so dear and gen­tle

Is our Lord in Heav’n above

And He leads His child­ren on

To the place where He is gone.

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;

Where like stars His child­ren crowned

All in white shall wait around.