Once in Royal David's City

Magnificent! Profound. Simple and ordinary. Glorious processional! These are some of the adjectives used to describe this English Christmas hymn. How can one piece of basic chords, basic meter structure and words written for a child to understand have those attributes?

Cecil F. Alexander, the wife of the Anglican chief bishop of Ireland, wrote over 400 hymn texts, many for children. This hymn was part of a collection of songs for children to teach them the various parts of The Apostles Creed. You may be acquainted with the hymn, "All Things Bright and Beatiful" which she wrote for the first part of the Creed about God the Father, "maker of heaven and earth." Once in Royal David's City has the lines "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary" as it's text focus. She wrote these verses in 1848 and they were set to music in the following year.

What makes this hymn special for all of us becomes evident when you read the words. I'll share the verses and music now: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/n/onceirdc.htm

This quote is from this site: http://www.hymnary.org/text/once_in_royal_davids_city

"A good mingling of the biblical story and Christian theology, the text sets the nativity of Christ into a much larger framework-the history of salvation. Alexander's words enable us to look back and to look forward from this historic event. Stanzas 1 and 2 recall Christ's humble birth. Stanza 3 focuses on Christ's childhood and identity with humanity. Stanzas 4 and 5 look forward to the sharing of Christ's glory with his children."

This is SO important for us to understand - that Christmas is not just about the birth of our Savior, although that is very important; but that we see the virgin birth of Jesus Christ as the integral manifestation of the Covenant of God with man. If you become aware of this point of theology, you will enjoy singing the Christmas carols even more because you will know that Jesus Christ is from the beginning, for all time, unto eternity! What a magnificent, profound, simple, glorious TRUTH!!

How very blessed we are that Cecil Alexander cared so much for children (as well as all the poor in her parish) that she wrote for them and thus enabled all of us to understand and sing The Christmas Story.

On a personal note: over 40 years ago, my sister gave me a vinyl 33 rpm recording of the combined choirs of the King's College, Cambridge, presenting the Christmas Story in song and Scripture, as a Christmas gift. What a gift! I wore it out, playing it all year long for many years. This hymn was used as the processional, after the great chiming bells had called the faithful to come and celebrate, and the actual recording caught the echoing of the organ, choirs and congregation as they processed from the entrance to the loft. I need to say THANKS again, sister, for that gift!