Once in Royal David’s City
CECIL FRANCES ALEXANDER / CHRISTMAS / ENGLISH / HENRY JOHN GAUNTLETT
Henry John Gauntlett, Cecil Frances Alexander – Once in Royal David’s City
Lyrics
Verse 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. Verse 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 meek, and lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy. Verse 3 And, through all his wondrous childhood, he would honor and obey, love and watch the lowly maiden in whose gentle arms he lay: Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he. Verse 4 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. Verse 5 And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love; for that Child who seemed so helpless is our Lord in heaven above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone. Verse 6 Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing round, we shall see him; but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high; when like stars his children crown
Chords
[Verse 1]
G D7 G C D7 G
Once in royal David s city,
Em D7 G
stood a lowly cattle shed
D7 G C G
Where a mother laid her Baby,
Em D7 G
in a manger for His bed
C G Am G
Mary was that mother mild,
C G D7 G
Jesus Christ, her little Child.[Verse 2]
G D7 G C D7 G
He came down to earth from heaven,
Em D7 G
who is God and Lord of all
D7 G C G
And His shelter was a stable,
Em D7 G
and His cradle was a stall
C G Am G
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
C G D7 G
lived on earth our Savior holy.[Verse 3]
G D7 G C D7 G
And, through all His wondrous childhood,
Em D7 G
he would honor and obey
D7 G C G
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
Em D7 G
in whose gentle arms He lay
C G Am G
Christian children all must be,
C G D7 G
mild, obedient, good as He.[Verse 4]
G D7 G C D7 G
For He is our childhood’s pattern;
Em D7 G
day by day, like us, He grew
D7 G C G
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Em D7 G
tears and smiles, like us He knew
C G Am G
And He cares when we are sad,
C G D7 G
and he shares when we are glad.[Verse 5]
G D7 G C D7 G
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Em D7 G
through His own redeeming love
D7 G C G
For that Child so dear and gentle,
Em D7 G
is our Lord in heaven above
C G Am G
And He leads His children on,
C G D7 G
to the place where He is gone.
Videos
Audios
Daniel O'Donnell – Once in Royal David's City
King’s College Choir Cambridge – Once in Royal David's City
The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge – Once in Royal David's City
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