Sunday Hymn

Last year I remember my MIL talking of a hymn she would be singing in church. I had never heard of the hymn and didn't think of it again until I was looking through our book, Come Let Us Adore Him, for our Christmas hymns to ponder in the coming week.

Cecil Frances Humphreys was the hymnwriter. She and her husband, the Rev. William Alexander, were quite a dynamic duo in British Christianity. Her husband was the Bishop for all Ireland, but her song writing eclipsed his fame. Mrs. Alexander had quite a heart for children ..teaching Sunday School, helping establish a school for the deaf and founding a Girl's Friendly Society.

Mrs. Alexander, after encountering a boy who was having difficulty understanding the Apostle's Creed and portions of the Catechism, began to mull over writing simple little hymns to explain the phrases and truths of the Christain faith to little ones. Some examples of her work include, "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "There is a Green Hill Far Away" and today's post "Once in Royal David's City".

Once in Royal David's City

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 stable,
And His cradle was a stall.
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior Holy.

For He 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.

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 has gone.

You can listen to the tune here.

Related tags: hymns, Christianity

Sunday Hymn

http://atmyhearth.blogspot.com/2006/12/sunday-hymn_17.html