Bright and glorious is the sky,
Radiant are the heavens high
Where the golden stars were shining
And their rays to earth inclining,
Beckoning us to Heaven above,
Beckoning us to Heaven above.

On that holy Christmas night
Through the darkness beamed a light
All the stars above were paling,
All their luster slowly failing,
As the Christmas star drew nigh,
As the Christmas star drew nigh.

Sages from the East afar,
When they saw this wondrous star,
Went to the find the King of nations,
And to offer their oblations
Unto Him as Lord and King,
Unto Him as Lord and King.

Him they found in Bethlehem,
Yet He wore no diadem;
They but saw a maiden lowly
With an Infant pure and holy,
Resting in her loving arms,
Resting in her loving arms.

Guided by the star they found
Him Whose praise the ages sound,
We too have a star to guide us
Which forever will provide us
With the light to find our Lord,
With the light to find our Lord.

As a star God’s holy Word
Leads us to our King and Lord;
Brightly from its sacred pages
Shall this light throughout the ages
Shine upon our path of life,
Shine upon our path of life.

Bright was the guiding star that led,
With mild, benignant ray,
The Gentiles to the lowly shed,
Where the Redeemer lay.

But lo! a brighter, clearer, light
Now points to His abode;
It shines, through sin and sorrow’s night,
To guide us to our God.

Oh! haste to follow where it leads
The gracious call obey;
Be rugged wilds, or flowery meads,
The Christian’s destined way.

Oh! gladly tread the narrow path,
While light and grace are given;
Who meekly follow Christ on earth
Shall reign with Him in Heaven.

Come with the wise men! led by any sign—
This the holy promised One, Babe, yet Lord divine!
Wonderful Stranger from the courts above,
In the time appointed, God’s gift of love.

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Homage we render, Thou King and Defender!
Kneeling with wise men great, at love’s holy shrine.
All lands shall own Thee!
As Lord shall enthrone Thee!
Thine is the kingdom, and the glory Thine!

Seek with the wise men! seek, and ye shall find—
Seeking all the world He came, Savior of mankind!
Wise men are seekers, they the truly wise—
See! the Sought for ages before you lies!

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Kneel with the wise men! ’tis the Lord of all,
At Whose feet the saints above now adoring fall!
Offer your rarest, own Him as your Lord;
His a royal service with great reward.

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From the eastern mountains, pressing on, they come,
Wise men in their wisdom, to His humble home;
Stirred by deep devotion, hasting from afar,
Ever journeying onward, guided by a star.

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Light of life that shineth ere the worlds began,
Draw Thou near, and lighten every heart of man.

There their Lord and Savior meek and lowly lay,
Wondrous Light that led them onward on their way,
Ever now to lighten nations from afar,
As they journey homeward by that guiding star.

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Thou Who in a manger once hast lowly lain,
Who dost now in glory o’er all kingdoms reign,
Gather in the heathen who in lands afar
Ne’er have seen the brightness of Thy guiding star.

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Gather in the outcasts, all who’ve gone astray,
Throw Thy radiance o’er them, guide them on their way.
Those who never knew Thee, those who’ve wandered far,
Guide them by the brightness of Thy guiding star.

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Onward through the darkness of the lonely night,
Shining still before them with Thy kindly light.
Guide them, Jew and Gentile, homeward from afar,
Young and old together, by Thy guiding Star.

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Until every nation, whether bond or free,
’Neath Thy starlit banner, Jesus, follows Thee.
O’er the distant mountains to that heavenly home,
Where nor sin nor sorrow evermore shall come.

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I am so glad each Christmas Eve,
The night of Jesus’ birth!
Then like the sun the Star shone forth,
And angels sang on earth.

The little Child in Bethlehem,
He was a King indeed!
For He came down from Heaven above
To help a world in need.

He dwells again in heaven’s realm,
The Son of God today;
And still He loves His little ones
And hears them when they pray.

I am so glad on Christmas Eve!
His praises then I sing;
He opens then for every child
The palace of the King.

When mother trims the Christmas tree
Which fills the room with light,
She tells me of the wondrous Star
That made the dark world bright.

She says the Star is shining still,
And never will grow dim;
And if it shines upon my way,
It leads me up to Him.

And so I love each Christmas Eve
And I love Jesus, too;
And that He loves me every day
I know so well is true.

I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?

Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Our Savior Christ and His lady,
On Christmas day in the morning.

Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?

O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day in the morning.

And all the angels in Heav’n shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the angels in Heav’n shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.

And all the souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Then let us rejoice amain,
On Christmas day in the morning.

The Magi came from lands afar,
Led by the guidance of a star,
They journeyed on to Bethlehem,
To seek the Savior, born for them.

And there in humble cottage-home,
Unto the heavenly Child they come;
And low before Him bend the knee
In love and deep humility.

Nor do they come with empty hands—
They bring the treasure of their lands;
Their costliest gifts they offer thence
Of gold and myrrh and frankincense.

They sought the Light, in darkness drear,
And lo, the morn broke full and clear;
The very Light of Light they see,
Though hidden in obscurity.

Jesus, our guiding Star, be nigh
Throughout our life, and when we die,
To lead us safely in the way
Which ends at last in perfect day!

O’er the hill and o’er the vale
Come three kings together,
Caring nought for snow and hail,
Cold, and wind, and weather;
Now on Persia’s sandy plains,
Now where Tigris swells with rains,
They their camels tether;
Now through Syrian lands they go,
Now through Moab, faint and slow,
Now through Edom’s heather.

O’er the hill and o’er the vale,
Each king bears a present:
Wise men go a Child to hail,
Monarchs seek a peasant;
And a star in front proceeds,
Over rocks and rivers leads,
Shines with beams incessant.
Therefore onward, onward still!
Ford the stream and climb the hills:
Love makes all things pleasant.

He is God ye go to meet;
Therefore incense proffer.
He is King ye go to greet:
Gold is in your coffer.
Also Man He comes to share
Every woe that man can bear:
Tempter, railer, scoffer;
Therefore now against the day,
In the grave where Him they lay,
Myrrh ye also offer.

Saw you never, in the twilight,
When the sun had left the skies,
Up in Heav’n the clear stars shining
Through the gloom, like silver eyes?
So of old the wise men, watching,
Saw a little stranger star,
And they knew the King was given,
And they followed it from afar.

Heard you never of the story
How they crossed the desert wild,
Journeyed on by plain and mountain,
Till they found the holy Child?
How they opened all their treasure,
Kneeling to that infant King;
Gave the gold and fragrant incense,
Gave the myrrh in offering?

Know ye not that lowly Baby
Was the bright and morning Star?
He Who came to light the Gentiles,
And the darkened isles afar?
And we, too, may seek His cradle;
There our hearts’ best treasures bring;
Love, and faith, and true devotion
For our Savior, God and King.

Lo! the star in the East! over Bethlehem’s plain,
It shines as a guide to the place
Where the weary, worn trav’ler his hopes may attain,
And worship that Infant of Days.
While forth from their treasures, frankincense and gold,
And the costliest spices they bring.
For in their distant land it had long been foretold,
The birth of that glorious King.

Refrain

Let the glad world rejoice! Let the angelic bands
Their anthems triumphantly sing!
To God be the glory! Sound forth, all ye lands,
The coming of Jesus our King.

Lo! the star in the East! we may gaze on it now;
Be pilgrims, with it for our guide;
The lesson of Bethlehem, still ever new,
The manger, and cross where He died.
We may read, we may learn, from His birth to His grave,
The teachings of peace and of love;
For this is the King Who is mighty to save;
His grace and His love we may prove.

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Lo! the star in the East! let us follow it still,
No pilgrim it e’er led astray;
Let us bow at His feet, let us study His will,
And ever His precepts obey.
What treasures have we to present to our King,
As an offering fitting and true?
Our hearts and ourselves, blessèd Jesus, we bring,
Accept us, and form us anew.

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Lo! the star in the East! yet with far wider rays,
Shall its glorious shining go forth;
And earnestly plead, God would hasten the day,
When His knowledge shall fill all the earth.
We would lift up our prayers, we would strengthen our hands,
Would send out our means all abroad,
Till the glorious Gospel is heard in all lands,
And the world is converted to God.

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I think of that star of long ago
That lighted the wanderers’ path below;
In faith I look up, and o’er me I see
That star in its beauty still shining for me.

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O star that once shone over Bethlehem!
Thy beams yet to mortals great joy proclaim.
The Lord to adore, I hasten with thee,
O star in thy beauty still shining for me.

“A Child unto us is born”—O joy!
To sin blighted earth comes high Heav’n’s Envoy;
Now over my path that dear memory,
A star in its beauty is shining for me.

Refrain

No clouds can obscure that kindly star,
Nor brightness of noonday its glories mar;
When shadows of death surround me, I’ll see
That star in its beauty still shining for me.

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It sheds on the world its peaceful rays,
And greets every mortal with heav’nly grace.
To Bethlehem’s Babe I hasten with thee,
O star, in thy beauty, still shining for me.

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Long ago the glorious Christmas star
Guided wise men from afar,
To the little town of Bethlehem,
To the Savior of all men.

Over hill, across the desert sand,
Slowly t’ward the Holy Land,
With them precious loving gifts they bring,
Asking for the newborn King.

When they saw the Child they all rejoiced,
Worshipped Him with tender voice,
Bowing low, presented gifts of love
To the Christ-child from above.

There came three kings, ere break of day,
All on Epiphany;
Their gifts they bare, both rich and rare,
All, all, Lord Christ, for Thee;
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh are there,
Where is the King? O where? O where?
O where is the King? O where?

The star shone brightly overhead,
The air was calm and still,
O’er Bethlehem’s fields its rays were shed,
The dew lay on the hill;
We see no throne, no palace fair,
Where is the King? O where? O where?
O where is the King? O where?

An old man knelt at a manger low,
A Babe lay in the stall;
The starlight played on the Infant brow,
Deep silence lay o’er all;
A maiden bent o’er the Babe in prayer,
There is the King! O there! O there!
O there is the King! O there!

They all were looking for a king
To slay their foes and lift them high;
Thou cam’st a little Baby thing
That made a woman cry.

O Son of Man, to right my lot
Naught but Thy presence can avail;
Yet on the road Thy wheels are not,
Nor on the sea Thy sail.

My fancied ways why should’st Thou heed?
Thou com’st down Thine own secret stair;
Com’st down to answer all my need,
Yes, every bygone prayer.

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain

O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.

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Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.

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Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

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Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.

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When from the East the wise men came,
Led by the Star of Bethlehem,
The gifts they brought to Jesus were
Of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Bright gold of Ophir, passing fine,
Proclaims a king of royal line;
For David’s son in David’s town,
Is born the heir of David’s crown.

The incense clouds, with fragrance rare,
The presence of a God declare;
Lo! kings in adoration fall,
For Mary’s Son is Lord of all.

The myrrh, with bitter taste, foreshows,
A life of sorrows, wounds, and woes;
The deadly cup, that overran
With anguish for the Son of Man.

Our gold upon Thine altar lies;
Our prayers to Thee, as incense, rise;
Accept as myrrh our tears and sighs;
O King, O God, O Sacrifice.

When wise men came seeking for Jesus from far,
With rich gifts to greet Him and led by a star,
They found in a stable the Savior of men,
A manger His cradle, so poor was He then.

Though laid in a manger, He came from a throne,
On earth though a stranger, in Heaven He was known.
How lowly, how gracious His coming to earth!
His love my love kindles to joy in His birth.

The wise men saw a light afar shine out on Christmas morning,
And taught by faith they hailed the star of Christ on Christmas morning.
Then journeyed they, those princes three, on Christmas in the morning,
To David’s town, his Lord to see, the Babe in glory’s morning!

Whom did ye see, ye shepherds, say, on Christmas in the morning?
Whose voice heard ye, this peaceful day, sweet singing in the morning?
“We heard their carols in the sky, on Christmas in the morning,
And saw the angel host on high in robes of light, this morning!”

And whom see ye, good Christians all, on Christmas in the morning?
Whose voice hear we, this festival, in tones of love and warning?
We hear the Church, our mother dear, on Christmas in the morning;
And see her Spouse, for faith sees clear, th’Incarnate Word, this morning.

Then lift ye up your hearts aright, this Eucharistic morning!
Come, come, where altars beam with light,
And choirs sing sweet, this morning;
Glory to God, to God our King, on Christmas in the morning!
Peace, peace, let all good people sing, goodwill to men this morning!

The wise men of old saw a beautiful star,
Led on by its glory they traveled afar;
O’er mountain and valley ’til wanderings past,
Their gifts at the feet of the Savior they cast.

Refrain

Beautiful beautiful star of the east
Beautiful beautiful star of the east
Scatter the shadows of sin far away,
Lead us to Jesus, the Star of the day.

The star of the east was the herald of day,
The light everlasting that fades not away;
Its beams rising higher, O hasten and see,
The Light of the world shines for you and for me.

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The star of His Word guards His people today,
To sweet joy in Jesus ’tis leading the way.
Then still let us follow and lovingly bring
Our hearts and our off’rings to Jesus our King.

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To those who in darkness are straying afar,
We’ll show the pure rays of the beautiful star.
We’ll tell them of Jesus, that at His dear feet,
The saved of all nations shall joyfully meet.

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Christians, lo, the star appeareth;
Lo ’tis yet Messiah’s day;
Still with tribute treasure laden
Come the wise men on their way.

Where a life is spent in service,
Walking where the Master trod,
There is scattered myrrh most fragrant
For the blessèd Christ of God.

Whoso bears his brother’s burden,
Whoso shares another’s woe,
Brings his frankincense to Jesus
With the men of long ago.

When we soothe earth’s weary children
Tending best the least of them,
’Tis the Lord himself we worship,
Bringing gold to Bethlehem.

Christians, lo, the star appeareth
Leading still the ancient way;
Christians, onward with your treasure;
It is still Messiah’s day.

A king might miss the guiding star,
A wise man’s foot might stumble;
For Bethlehem is very far
From all except the humble.
’Tis Christmas Day! ’Tis Christmas Day!
And Christian hearts are humble.

Some pilgrims seek a hallowed shrine;
Some soldiers march to danger;
Some travelers seek an inn—its sign
“The Baby in a manger.”
When Christ was born on Christmas morn,
They laid Him in a manger.

There is no palace in that place,
Nor any seat of learning,
No hilltop vision of God’s face,
No altar candles burning:
O come and see our Christmas tree
And Christmas candles burning.

But he who gets to Bethlehem
Shall hear the oxen lowing;
And, if he humbly kneel with them,
May catch far trumpets blowing;
From far away, on Christmas Day,
May hear God’s trumpets blowing.

On the brow of night there shines a silver star,
On the brow of night there shines a silver star,
And the wise men gaze on its heav’nly rays,
Till they find the King, whose throne they sought afar,
In the Babe of Bethlehem.

Refrain

Silver star, holy light,
Shine afar, o’er the night,
Till the world shall come where the young Child lay,
And enter the gates of the newborn day.

’Tis the lamp of God high hanging in the air,
’Tis the lamp of God high hanging in the air,
And it guides our feet thro’ the royal street;
There is sweet soul-rest for those who seek it there,
From the Babe of Bethlehem.

Refrain

Bring your gifts of gold, of frankincense and myrrh,
Bring your gifts of gold, of frankincense and myrrh,
For the King we own is on David’s throne;
Let the holy Child your best affections stir;
’Tis the Babe of Bethlehem.

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There’s a beautiful star, a beautiful star,
The weary travelers have followed far,
Shining so brightly all the way,
Till it stood o’er the place where the young Child lay.

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Star, star, beautiful star!
Pilgrims weary we are;
To Jesus, to Jesus,
We follow thee from afar.

In the land of the East, in the shadows of night,
We saw the glory of thy new light,
Telling us, in our distant home,
The King-Redeemer to earth hath come!

Refrain

We have gold for tribute and gifts for prayer,
Incense of myrrh, and spices rare:
All that we have, we hither bring,
To lay it with joy at the feet of the King.

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Whence comes this rush of wings afar,
Following straight the Noël star?
Birds from the woods in wondrous flight,
Bethlehem seek this holy night.

“Tell us, ye birds, why come ye here,
Into this stable, poor and drear?”
“Hast’ning we seek the newborn King,
And all our sweetest music bring.”

Hark how the greenfinch bears his part,
Philomel, too, with tender heart,
Chants from her leafy dark retreat,
Re, mi, fa, sol, in accents sweet.

Angels and shepherds, birds of the sky,
Come where the Son of God doth lie;
Christ on the earth with man doth dwell,
Join in the shout, “Noël, Noël!”

Where is the holy Heav’n-born Child,
Heir of the everlasting throne,
Who Heav’n and earth hath reconciled,
And God and man rejoined in one?

Shall we of earthly kings inquire,
To courts or palaces repair?
The nation’s Hope, the world’s Desire,
Alas! we cannot find Him there.

Shall learning show the sinner’s Friend,
Or scribes a sight of Christ afford?
Us to His natal place they send,
But never go to see their Lord.

We search the outward Church in vain,
They cannot Him we seek declare,
They have not found the Son of Man,
Or known the sacred Name they bear.

Then let us turn no more aside,
But use the light Himself imparts,
His Spirit is our surest Guide,
His Spirit glimmering in our hearts.

Drawn by His grace we come from far,
And fix on Heav’n our wistful eyes,
That ray divine, that orient star
Directs us where the Infant lies.

See there! the newborn Savior see,
By faith discern the great I AM;
’Tis He! the eternal God! ’tis He
That bears the mild Immanuel’s Name.

The Prince of Peace on earth is found,
The Child is born, the Son is giv’n;
Tell it to all the nations round,
Jehovah is come down from Heav’n!

Jehovah is come down to raise
His dying creatures from their fall,
And all may now receive the grace
Which brings eternal life to all.

Lord, we receive the grace and Thee,
With joy unspeakable receive,
And rise Thine open face to see,
And one with God for ever live.

Shine calm and bright, ye moonbeams light,
O’er Bethle’em’s town in slumber,
O’er young and old, o’er burgess bold,
And guests in goodly number;
For sheltered safe from winter’s frost,
Well housed and warm all lie,
Secure from snow in street below,
And screened from frozen sky.
But Babe benign! No couch is Thine,
Save lowly manger stall,
Where cold winds blow on Thy form divine,
Who comest to save us all.

The crowds who sleep in Bethle’em’s walls
Both citizen and stranger,
From royal blood alike have sprung,
And spurn the humble manger.
But all one day must wend their way,
Heaving their latest sigh,
To mortal doom in lonesome tomb,
And in corruption lie.
But Babe benign! No power malign
Shall over Thee bear sway;
Thy life of light in the heavens bright
Shall glow in eternal day!

To us, sweet Babe! Thy lowly crib
Than costly couch is dearer,
It seems to make Thee more our own,
To bring the Godhead nearer!
It seems to show Thy sympathy
For human grief and pain,
And makes us long to raise the song
Of Noel o’er again!
O Babe benign! Thy love divine
Shed round us, day by day;
Sweet Child of light! Be Thou our might,
Our gentle King for aye!