Hymn
What Child Is This
What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping;
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard, and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading:
Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through,
The Cross be borne, for me, for you;
Hail! Hail! the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, King, to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby:
Joy! joy! for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
What Child Is This — Text from Voices of Praise, 1883. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/what-child-is-this
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote What Child Is This?
The words of What Child Is This were written by W. Chatterton Dix; the version here was published in 1883. The library holds 4 more hymns by W. Chatterton Dix, including To Thee, O Lord and As With Gladness Men of Old.
Is What Child Is This public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from Voices of Praise, published in 1883. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of What Child Is This?
What Child Is This is in 8.7.8.7 with refrain. Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, I Will Sing Of My Redeemer, The Great Physician and When We All Get to Heaven.