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, the scorned, the 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 heav’n above:
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.
ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY
First Line:
Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Songbook: Our Great Redeemer's Praise
Page Number: 175
Song Key: F
Language: English
Authors: Cecil F. Alexander
Tune Name: IRBY
Themes: Christmas
