Once in royal Davids 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
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 cares when we are sad
And he shares when we are glad
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