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424

Once In Royal David's City

Lyrics by
Cecil Frances Alexander (1848)
Music by
Henry John Gauntlett (1849)
Tune
IRBY · 8.7.8.7
Scripture
Matthew 2:1-11
Verse 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.
Verse 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.
Verse 3
And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly mother
In whose gentle arms He lay.
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.
Verse 4
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.
Verse 5
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.

From Alexander's "Hymns for Little Children," this Christmas hymn tells the nativity story from a child's perspective.