Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Mormon Tabernacle Choir - When Jesus Was a Little Child Lyrics

When Jesus was a little child,
He made a garden in the wild.
There grew a rosebush 'neath his care,
Yielding a garland for his hair.

It blossomed full upon a day,
When graceless children passed that way.
They tore the rosebush from its bed,
Stripped all its leaves and blossoms red.

"Whence wilt thou mold thy garland fair,"
Their taunting voices smote the air.
"Leave but for me, the naked thorns,"
The Christ replied, yet without scorn.

Then of the thorns all sharp and bare,
They bound a garland o'er his hair.
See where as red as roses grow,
Great drops of blood bedew his brow.

(Note: This is based on memory from having transcribed the Choir's rendition some 30 years ago.)