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 Savior holy.

3. Jesus 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.

4. 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.

5. Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing by, But in heaven we shall see him, Set at God’s right hand on high; When like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around. Amen!