Once in Royal David's City

Authors

Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (Text)
Public Domain (Copyright)

Once in Royal David's City

Verse 1
F
C
F
C
F
Once 
in 
royal 
David's 
city,
f
?+
d
+sDms7
B
E
stood
 a 
lowly 
catt
le 
shed
e
u
C
F
b
?
Where 
mother 
laid her 
ba
by,
a
Ds
B
?b*Acu
B
?
in
 a 
manger 
for 
His 
bed
?sAbm#
7
?
B
Mary 
was that 
mother 
mild,
Au+seD
s
B?CcD9
d
b
Jesus 
Christ her 
lit
tle 
child
Verse 2
e
e
B
C
b
He 
came 
down to 
earth from 
heaven,
a
bd
D
*DC7bC
s
A
who 
is 
God and 
Lord 
of 
all
u
f
s
b
E
C
And 
His 
shelter 
was a 
sta
ble,
f
sf
b
uEEGsA
s
c
and 
His 
cradle 
was 
a st
all
9Acdd*
u
G
a
With the 
poor and 
mean and 
lowly,
B+dsbE
u
A?fsfa
s
m
lived on 
earth our 
Sav
iour 
holy
Verse 3
?
+
9
u
?
And 
through 
all His 
wondrous 
childhood,
b
*b
c
e7e?F?
s
?
He 
would 
honour 
and 
obe
y
9
b
f
?
E
b
Love 
and 
watch the 
lowly 
mo
ther,
9
D#
c
*?eub#
D
s
in 
whose 
gentle 
arms 
He 
lay
AeCeeB
b
+
+
Christian 
children 
all should 
be,
FmuCsc
f
af7s7a
9
*
kind, o
bedient, 
good 
as 
He
Verse 4
C
s
D
B
C
For 
He 
is our 
childhood's 
pattern,
a
ab
a
bBmGes
E
m
day 
by 
day like 
us 
He 
grew
*
+
F
a
G
*
He 
was 
little, 
weak and 
help
less,
d
AE
+
7sF?9s
d
d
tears 
and 
smiles like 
us 
He 
knew
d7s#9b
m
s
D
And He 
feels for 
all our 
sadness,
e#EcGB
?
*9mf?9
s
*
and He 
shares in 
all 
our 
gladness
Verse 5
f
+
A
b
?
And 
our 
eyes at 
last shall 
see Him,
b
F+
u
?ubbeD
7
*
through 
His 
own re
dee
ming 
love
a
a
7
9
7
E
For 
that 
Child so 
dear and 
gent
le,
B
su
E
bAdDE?
?
a
is 
our 
Lord in 
heaven 
abo
ve
?usdbm
?
b
7
And He 
leads His 
children 
on,
CF?sBG
*
?suDb7
D
A
to the 
place where 
He 
is 
gone
Verse 6
9
G
e
#
b
Not 
in 
that poor 
lowly 
stable,
c
cm
+
Efsf+?
D
f
with 
the 
oxen 
stan
ding 
by
E
D
b
b
a
F
We 
shall 
see Him 
but in 
hea
ven,
c
Af
b
+?afsC
d
B
set 
at 
God's right 
hand 
on 
high
Bb?G#*
?
A
a
There His 
children 
gather 
round,
#B?*D9
C
eCs7mC
m
b
bright like 
stars, with 
glo
ry 
crowned