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.

And through all His wondrous childhood

He would honour 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 the child so dear and gentle

Is our Lord in heaven above;

And He leads His children on

To the place where He is gone.

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 crown'd

All in white shall wait around.