Words: , 1896:

This text by Ida L. (Reed) Smith was in­spired by a sto­ry she read as a youth. En­ti­tled “A Prin­cess in Cal­i­co,” it told of a lit­tle girl who re­mained hap­py al­though her life was full of mis­for­tune. When asked how she could smile through her trou­bles, she re­plied, “Oh, it’s be­cause I be­long to the king!” Ida Smith’s life was al­so one of tri­als. She was sick, lone­ly, im­pov­er­ished, and bed-rid­den for years. From a hos­pi­tal bed she wrote the words of this hymn.

Music: . Some hymn­als show the com­pos­er as Hall’s pseu­do­nym, Mau­rice Clift­on.

I belong to the King; I’m a child of His love,
I shall dwell in His palace so fair,
For He tells of its bliss in yon heaven above,
And His children in splendor shall share.

Refrain

I belong to the King; I’m a child of His love,
And he never forsaketh His own.
He will call me some day to His palace above;
I shall dwell by His glorified throne.

I belong to the King, and He loves me I know,
For His mercy and kindness so free
Are unceasingly mine wheresoever I go,
And my Refuge unfailing is He.

Refrain

I belong to the King, and His promise is sure:
That we all shall be gathered at last
In His kingdom above, by life’s waters so pure,
When this life with its trials is past.

Refrain