Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary ‎#139

139. 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 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,
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

4 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.

5 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.

Text Information

• First Line: Once in royal David's city
• Title: Once in Royal David's City
• Author: C. F. Alexander1818-95
• Meter: 87 87 77
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1996
• Topic: Nativity of our Lord; Jesus, Savior of Gentiles

Tune Information

• Name: IRBY
• Composer: H. J. Gauntlett,1805-76
• Meter: 87 87 77
• Key: F Major
• Copyright: Setting © 1957 Reprinted by permission of G. Schirmer Inc. (ASCAP) o/b/o Novello & Co., Ltd. Used by permission.