Jesus's Words

Once in Royal David's City

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About the Carol

Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) originally wrote "Once in Royal David's City" as a poem for her 1848 hymnbook Hymns for Little Children.

Lyrics Back to Top ↑

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 that 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.

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.

Not in that poor, lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him; but in Heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high,
When, like stars, his children crowned
All in white, shall wait around.

Analysis of Carol Back to Top ↑

Once in Royal David's city

Luke records for us why Bethlehem is called David's city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David.)Luke 2:4

Stood a lowly cattle shed.
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild,

The exact reason God chose Mary to bore Jesus is unknown. All we know is what Gabriel said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.Luke 1:28

Jesus Christ that little child.

He came down to earth from Heaven,

Jesus was certainly not from Earth, thus we conclude he came from Heaven. That is why he said to some Jews, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.John 8:23

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.

And our eyes at last shall see him
Through his own redeeming love,

And Jesus even defines his love, and what that means for us, If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.John 15:10 But we do not need to keep books and books of his commandments. Jesus says, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.Mark 12:30, 31

And we know that Jesus speaks the truth with this saying, For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.Matthew 11:30

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.

That "place" is the Father's house. Jesus is there preparing a place for us. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.John 14:2.

Not in that poor, lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him; but in Heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high,

This line comes from what Jesus said to his accusers, shortly before he was crucified. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.Matthew 26:64

When, like stars, his children crowned
All in white, shall wait around.

And this will take place, at the latest, during the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when the church celebrates with Jesus their victory on Earth. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.Revelation 19:6-8

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