Piano Demo
0:00
Hymnal Number
711Resource Type:
Keys included:
F
About this Hymn
Cecil Frances Alexander was an Irish pastor's wife who published this carol for children in 1848. It was part of a series of hymns on the Apostles' Creed, based on the clause "who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary." The hymn begins as many childhood stories do, with an invitation to look back "Once upon a time," as it were, to a scene with two central figures. Together, we can sing this wondrous story.
Lyrics
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 maiden, in whose gentle arms he lay: Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.
Verse 4
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.
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 heav'n above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.
Verse 6
Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by, we shall see him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high; where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.
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 maiden, in whose gentle arms he lay: Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.
Verse 4
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.
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 heav'n above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.
Verse 6
Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by, we shall see him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high; where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.
Copyrighted lyrics may be used in corporate worship in accordance with a valid CCLI license. Lyrics should be displayed unaltered and include author and copyright information. All other uses require permission from the copyright holder.
Attribution & Copyright
Words: Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848
Music: Henry Gauntlett, 1849; arr. David Willcocks, from "100 Carols for Choirs" © 1970 Oxford University Press (Oxford University Press / www.oup.com)
Music: Henry Gauntlett, 1849; arr. David Willcocks, from "100 Carols for Choirs" © 1970 Oxford University Press (Oxford University Press / www.oup.com)