Celebrating Grace Hymnal ‎#104

104. 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 meek and lowly
lived on earth our Savior holy.

3 For He is our childhood's pattern;
day by day on earth He grew;
He was tempted, scorned, rejected,
tears and smiles like us He knew.
Thus He feels for all our sadness,
and He shares in all our gladness.

4 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;
when like stars His children crowned,
robed in white shall gather round.

Text Information

• First Line: Once in royal David's city
• Title: Once in Royal David's City
• Author: Cecil F. Alexander (1848, alt.)
• Meter: Irregular
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2010
• Scripture:
  Luke 2:7
• Topic: God the Son: Christmastide; Christian Year-Christmastide

Tune Information

• Name: IRBY
• Composer: Henry J. Gauntlett (1849)
• Harmonizer: David Schwoebel (2009)
• Meter: Irregular
• Key: F Major
• Copyright: Harm. © 2010 Celebrating Grace, Inc.