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.
For He is our childhood's pattern;
Day by day like us he grew.
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tear and smile, like us, he knew;
And He cares when we are sad,
And he shares when we are glad.
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 has gone.
