ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY

Words by C F H Alexander Music by H J Gauntlett

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 meek and lowly

Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

3 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.

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 heav’n above.

And He leads His children on,

To the place where He is gone.