Chalice Hymnal ‎#165

165. 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 Christ came down to earth from heaven
love incarnate for us all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor, the scorned, the lowly,
lived on earth our Savior holy.

3 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;
Thus he feels for our sadness,
and he shares in all our gladness.

5 And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love;
for that child who seemed so helpless,
lives and reigns in heaven above;
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.

Text Information

• First Line: Once in royal David's city
• Title: Once in Royal David's City
• Author: Cecil F. Alexander (1848, alt.)
• Meter: 87.87.77
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1995
• Scripture:
  Luke 2:7
• Topic: God Known in Jesus Christ: Birth; Christian Year: Christmas; Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ: Birth

Tune Information

• Name: IRBY
• Composer: Henry John Gauntlett (1849)
• Harmonizer: Arthur H. Mann (1919)
• Meter: 87.87.77
• Key: F Major