HYMN OF THE MONTH:
Once in Royal David's City
by Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895
Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (1818–1895) was an Irish poet and hymn writer who believed that theological truth should be communicated beautifully and clearly—especially for children.
Her best-known book, Hymns for Little Children (1848), grew out of this conviction. Each hymn explained a key Christian doctrine in simple, memorable language.
Her hymn “All Things Bright and Beautiful” was written to teach children the Apostles' Creed’s opening truth that God is the Maker of heaven and earth—the Creator of every flower, creature, mountain, and moment of beauty.
And her beloved hymn “Once in Royal David’s City” was written to explain another line of the Creed: that Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.” Long before it became a Christmas favorite, it was simply a gentle way to teach the wonder of Christ’s incarnation.
Cecil’s hymns flowed from a life of compassion. Before her marriage to Bishop William Alexander (also a poet), she and her sister persuaded their father to use an outbuilding on their property to start a tiny school for four or five deaf children—an effort that later grew into one of the earliest deaf-education institutions in northwest Ireland. Her book royalties helped support this ministry and other charitable works.
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Read & Relate
Once in Royal David’s City
By Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848
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.
Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-5; Luke 2:12; Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 1:30-31
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 Savior holy.
Philippians 2:6-7; 1 John 6:38; 2 Corinthians 8:9; John 1:1; 1 John 5:20
Jesus 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 feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.
Luke 2:7; Luke 2:40; Luke 2:52; Isaiah 53:3; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 2:17-18
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heav'n above,
And he leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
1 John 3:2; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 1:3; Philippians 2:9-11; John 14:2-3
