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 meek and lowly

Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

 

And through all His wondrous childhood

He would honour and obey,

Love and watch the lowly mother

In whose gentle arms He lay.

Christian children all should be

Mild, obedient, good as He.

 

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 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.

 

 

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM,

How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.

 

O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King,

And peace to men on earth;

For Christ is born of Mary,

And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wondering love.

 

How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him, still

The dear Christ enters in.

 

O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in;

Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Immanuel!

 

AWAY IN A MANGER, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;

The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay;

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

 

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes:

I love You, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky

And stay by my side until morning is nigh.

 

Be near me, Lord Jesus: I ask You to stay

Close by me forever and love me, I pray;

Bless all the dear children in Your tender care,

And fit us for heaven to live with You there.

 

SILENT NIGHT, holy night!

Sleeps the world; hid from sight,

Mary and Joseph in stable bare

Watch o’er the Child beloved and fair,

Sleeping in heavenly rest,

Sleeping in heavenly rest.

HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING:

‘Glory to the new-born King!

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!’

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies,

With the angelic host proclaim,

‘Christ is born in Bethlehem.’

Hark! the herald angels sing:

‘Glory to the new-born King!’

 

Christ, by highest heaven adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

Late in time behold Him come,

Offspring of a virgin’s womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see!

Hail the incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with man to dwell,

Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing:

‘Glory to the new-born King.’

 

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail, the Sun of righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Risen with healing in His wings,

Mild, He lays His glory by;

Born that men no more may die;

Born to raise the sons of earth;

Born to give them second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing:

‘Glory to the new-born King.’

 
Contributors:   Revd Mike Bisset, David Carter, Mary Lee, Peter and Eve Nelson, Deborah Yeates
Production:    David Carter