Service Book and Hymnal of the Lutheran Church in America ‎#41

41. Once in royal David’s city

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 and mean and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

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.

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.

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.

6 Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
Shall we see him; but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high,
When like stars his children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

Text Information

• First Line: Once in royal David’s city
• Author: Cecil Frances Alexander, 1823 - 95
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1958
• Topic: The Church Year: Christmas

Tune Information

• Name: IRBY
• Composer: Henry J. Gauntlett, 1805 - 76
• Meter: 8 7, 8 7, 7 7.
• Key: F Major