Once in Royal Davids City - Traditional

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 Savior holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly mother,
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 that 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 crowned
All in white shall wait around.

Once in Royal Davids City lyrics are frequently used as the opening processional for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols starting with a solo verse that draws the listener into the story. The song Once in Royal Davids City emphasizes the humanity of Jesus describing Him as a child who was little weak and helpless yet is our childhoods pattern. It teaches that even the King of heaven was once a child who shared in our daily experiences. By singing the Once in Royal Davids City lyrics believers are reminded of the dignity of childhood and the accessibility of a Savior who understands every aspect of the human condition from the manger to the throne.