ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY

Cecil Frances Humphrey’s was born in 1818 in an Irish village called Redcross and 32 years later, she married Rev. William Alexander.  Her poems and hymns became greatly beloved in the English-speaking world. 

She was not concerned about fame; her priority was all about being faithful to Christ.  She had a deep heart and devotion to children.  Much of her time was spent teaching Sunday School and writing songs for youngsters.

One day, she was working with one of the boys in her Sunday School class who was struggling to understand the Apostles Creed and portions of the Catechism.  Mrs. Alexander began to mull the possibility of converting the Apostles’ Creed into songs for children that would help explain the phrases and truths of the Christian faith.  Our hymn today, ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY, was a result of explaining the part about Jesus Christ that says “…who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…”

This and other hymns she authored became the 1848 publication entitled "Hymns for Little Children."  It became one of the most successful hymns publishing projects, going through over one hundred editions.