Once in Royal David's City

This is a Christmas carol which was originally written as a children's hymn to promote understanding of the Apostle's Creed.

The words were written in 1848 by Anglo-Irish hymnwriter and poet, Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895).

With meter 8.7.8.7.7.7, it is almost always sung to the tune IRBY, composed by English organist and songwriter, Henry J. Gauntlett (1805 - 1876) in 1849.

The song is usually published in the key of F. However the simple sheet music available below is set in the lower key of D.

Downloads

Piano / organ sheet music

Lead sheet (melody + guitar chords)

ABC notation

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Choir with congregation, organ backing

Singer with guitar backing

Choir with bells, words on-screen

Congregation with piano, words on-screen

Singer with band, professional recording

Instrumental - piano

Lyrics

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 manger 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 tender mother, in whose gentle arms he lay.
Christian children should like he, mild, obedient and patient be.

And our eyes at last will see him, through his own redeeming love.
For that child as dear and gentle, is our Lord in heaven above.
And he leads his people on, to the place where he is gone.

For he is our childhoods pattern, day be day like us He grew,
He was little, weak and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew.
And He feels for our sadness and He shares in our gladness.