Classic Christian Hymns · Public-domain text

Once in Royal David's City

Cecil F. Alexander

Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895) was an Irish poet and hymnist who dedicated her life to educating disabled and poor children in rural Ireland, donating all her book royalties to build a school for the deaf. She believed that children needed simple, beautiful language to understand complex Christian truths. To teach her Sunday school class the Apostles' Creed, she wrote a series of hymns, including the beloved 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' and 'Once in Royal David's City', which continue to teach children the goodness of God's creation.

Source: Hymns for Little Children

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 Savior holy
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
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
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