D    A7 D     G       A7 D
Once in royal David s city,
        Bm    A7     D
stood a lowly cattle shed
A7      D      G        D
Where a mother laid her Baby,
     Bm     A7      D
in a manger for His bed
G    D        Em     D
Mary was that mother mild,
G     D           A7     D
Jesus Christ, her little Child.
 
D  A7   D       G          A7 D
He came down to earth from heaven,
       Bm      A7      D
who is God and Lord of all
A7      D       G     D
And His shelter was a stable,
        Bm     A7    D
and His cradle was a stall
G        D         Em        D
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
G        D         A7     D
lived on earth our Savior holy.
 
D    A7      D       G        A7   D
And, through all His wondrous childhood,
         Bm    A7   D
he would honor and obey
A7       D         G     D
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
         Bm     A7      D
in whose gentle arms He lay
G         D        Em       D
Christian children all must be,
G      D        A7      D
mild, obedient, good as He.
 
D   A7 D      G           A7  D
For He is our childhood's pattern;
       Bm        A7     D
day by day, like us, He grew
A7     D       G         D
He was little, weak, and helpless,
          Bm      A7         D
tears and smiles, like us He knew
G      D          Em     D
And He cares when we are sad,
G      D           A7     D
and he shares when we are glad.
 
D   A7  D       G          A7  D
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
            Bm    A7      D
through His own redeeming love
A7       D        G        D
For that Child so dear and gentle,
       Bm      A7      D
is our Lord in heaven above
G      D         Em       D
And He leads His children on,
G      D           A7    D
to the place where He is gone.