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 Saviour holy.
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.
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.
