Once in Royal David's City

Authors

Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (Text)
Public Domain (Copyright)

Once in Royal David's City

Verse 1
F
C
F
C
F
Once 
in 
royal 
David's 
city,
A
7a
m
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stood
 a 
lowly 
catt
le 
shed
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f
m
*
a
Where 
mother 
laid her 
ba
by,
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7f
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b
u
in
 a 
manger 
for 
His 
bed
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e
G
e
Mary 
was that 
mother 
mild,
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B
bmFb#7
a
s
Jesus 
Christ her 
lit
tle 
child
Verse 2
*
?
s
B
b
He 
came 
down to 
earth from 
heaven,
A
em
s
#+7#C#
9
?
who 
is 
God and 
Lord 
of 
all
b
m
*
m
F
c
And 
His 
shelter 
was a 
sta
ble,
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Ds
d
Ab*fG7
7
*
and 
His 
cradle 
was 
a st
all
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G
s
With the 
poor and 
mean and 
lowly,
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asD#s#
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lived on 
earth our 
Sav
iour 
holy
Verse 3
u
9
A
*
u
And 
through 
all His 
wondrous 
childhood,
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C
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a
D
He 
would 
honour 
and 
obe
y
G
9
D
u
s
E
Love 
and 
watch the 
lowly 
mo
ther,
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Fu
c
#a+edc
?
m
in 
whose 
gentle 
arms 
He 
lay
amu?+C
F
f
E
Christian 
children 
all should 
be,
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#
kind, o
bedient, 
good 
as 
He
Verse 4
A
B
?
?
A
For 
He 
is our 
childhood's 
pattern,
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E
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m
b
day 
by 
day like 
us 
He 
grew
m
b
b
A
b
E
He 
was 
little, 
weak and 
help
less,
s
9A
*
Fsc+Cu
d
?
tears 
and 
smiles like 
us 
He 
knew
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d
F
And He 
feels for 
all our 
sadness,
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d
and He 
shares in 
all 
our 
gladness
Verse 5
9
B
m
b
f
And 
our 
eyes at 
last shall 
see Him,
b
Bs
A
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*
C
through 
His 
own re
dee
ming 
love
G
b
B
#
b
u
For 
that 
Child so 
dear and 
gent
le,
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b?
A
cAsG7s
?
?
is 
our 
Lord in 
heaven 
abo
ve
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b
a
?
And He 
leads His 
children 
on,
sCs#9#
C
ede?FB
B
b
to the 
place where 
He 
is 
gone
Verse 6
A
F
B
+
s
Not 
in 
that poor 
lowly 
stable,
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D9
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f
d
with 
the 
oxen 
stan
ding 
by
#
9
b
F
7
7
We 
shall 
see Him 
but in 
hea
ven,
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aA
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aAmGad
9
u
set 
at 
God's right 
hand 
on 
high
uab#ub
m
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d
There His 
children 
gather 
round,
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b
bright like 
stars, with 
glo
ry 
crowned