Come children, with singing, with sweet voices ringing,
Come kneel to the Babe that in Bethlehem lies,
While angels achoir, with pinions of fire,
Are filling with music the listening skies.

Repeat the dear story how, veiling His glory,
The Hope of the Ages came down to the earth,
Oh, worship Him lowly, the lofty and holy
Our Star of the Morning shone out at His birth.

See Mary enfold Him, while shepherds behold Him.
And sages are bent at His beautiful feet.
Come, haste to adore Him, and, bowing before Him,
The Lord who redeems you in reverence greet.

This wonderful Stranger, His couch is a manger,
His cradle is made with the cattle in stall;
Yet God of creation in blest incarnation,
He stoops to our nature to ransom us all.

Jesus calls the children dear,
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”

Refrain

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

[Alternate refrain:

Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]

Jesus is the Shepherd true,
And He’ll always stand by you,
For He loves the little children of the world;
He’s a Savior great and strong,
And He’ll shield you from the wrong,
For He loves the little children of the world.

Refrain

I am coming, Lord, to Thee,
And Your soldier I will be,
For You love the little children of the world;
And Your cross I’ll always bear,
And for You I’ll do and dare,
For You love the little children of the world.

Refrain

Lead them, my God, to Thee,
Lead them to Thee,
These children dear of mine,
Thou gavest me.
O, by Thy love divine,

Refrain

Lead them, my God, to Thee,
Lead them, lead them,
Lead them to Thee.

When earth looks bright and fair,
Festive and gay,
Let no delusive snare,
Lure them away;
But from temptation’s power,

Refrain

E’en for such little ones,
Christ came a child,
And through this world of sin,
Movèd undefiled;
O, for His sake, I pray,

Refrain

Yea, though my faith be dim,
I would believe
That Thou this precious gift,
Wilt now receive;
O, take their young hearts now;

Refrain

“Let little children come to Me,”
So says our blessèd Lord;
And I, a little child, must be
Obedient to His Word;
On Sabbath days must sing His praise,
And bow before Him, for He says,
“Let little children come to Me,
Let little children come.”

“Let little children come to Me,”
It is my Savior’s call;
He spake it not to two or three,
But to the children all;
And so, when they His law obey,
It is as if they heard Him say,
“Let little children come to Me,
Let little children come.”

“Let little children come to Me,”
O Father, Lord, I come;
Through life and death I’ll go with Thee,
Thine arms shall be my home.
I cannot fear when Thou art near;
And Thy sweet words I seem to hear,
“Let little children come to Me,
Let little children come.”

O Jesus Christ, our Lord most dear,
As Thou wast once an Infant here
So give this child of Thine, we pray,
Thy grace and blessing day by day.

Refrain

O holy Jesus, Lord divine,
We pray Thee guard this child of Thine.

As in Thy heav’nly kingdom, Lord,
Thy messengers obey Thy word,
Send forth the succor of Thy might
To shield this child both day and night.

Refrain

And all his life, let angels keep
Him safe from harm, awake, asleep;
May he not bear the cross in vain,
But with Thy saints a crown attain.

Refrain

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
Things I would ask Him to tell me if He were here;
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

First let me hear how the children stood round His knee,
And I shall fancy His blessing resting on me;
Words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
All in the love light of Jesus’ face.

Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea,
Tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee;
And how the Maker, ready and kind,
Chided the billows, and hushed the wind.

Into the city I’d follow the children’s band,
Waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand.
One of His heralds, yes, I would sing
Loudest hosannas, “Jesus is King!”

Show me that scene in the garden, of bitter pain.
Show me the cross where my Savior for me was slain.
Sad ones or bright ones, so that they be
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

When mothers of Salem their children brought to Jesus,
The stern disciples drove them back and bade them to depart:
But Jesus saw them ere they fled and sweetly smiled and kindly said,
“Suffer little children to come unto Me.”

“For I will receive them and fold them to My bosom:
I’ll be a shepherd to these lambs, O drive them not away;
For if their hearts to Me they give, they shall with Me in glory live:
Suffer little children to come unto Me.”

How kind was our Savior to bid these children welcome!
But there are many thousands who have never heard His Name;
The Bible they have never read, they know not that the Savior said,
“Suffer little children to come unto Me.”

O soon may the heathen of every tribe and nation
Fulfill Thy blessèd Word and cast their idols all away!
O shine upon them from above and show Thyself a God of love,
Teach the little children to come unto Thee!