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 Saviour holy.

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 feels for all our sadness

And He shares in all our gladness

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.