We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star. (Refrain)
Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of night
star of 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. (Refrain)
Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh,
prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshipping God on high. (Refrain)
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom,
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in a stone-cold tomb. (Refrain)
Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and sacrifice:
hallelujah, hallelujah,
sounds through the earth and skies. (Refrain)
(Words: John H. Hopkins Jr., Music: Traditional Carol; Words & Music: Public Domain; Church CCLI # 2458953)
The People that in Darkness
The people that in darkness pined
have seen a glorious light;
the people dwell in day, who dwelt
in death’s surrounding night.
To hail Your rise, O better Sun,
the gathering nations come,
Rejoicing as when reapers bear
the harvest treasures home.
To us a Child of hope is born,
to us a Son is given,
and on His shoulders ever rests
all power in earth and heaven.
His name shall be the Prince of Peace,
for evermore adored,
the Wonderful, the Counsellor,
the great and mighty Lord.
His reign of righteous government
shall over all extend,
for peace and justice shall abound
in this world without end.
(Words: John Morison, Music: Scottish Psalter. Words & Music: Public Domain Church CCLI#2458953)
Responsive Reading – PSALM 72:1-14
1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy,
and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may righteousness flourish
and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May his foes bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts.
11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.
As With Gladness Men of Old
As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold;
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright:
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to Thee.
As they offered gifts most rare
at Thy cradle rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way,
and when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds of glory hide.
In that heavenly country bright
need they no created light:
Thou its light, its joy, its crown,
Thou it’s sun which goes not down;
there forever may we sing
hallelujahs to our King.
(Words: William Chatterton Dix, Public Domain. Music: Conrad Kocher, harmony: William H. Monk, descant: Sydney H. Nicholson; Public Domain, Descant: © The Royal School of Church Music. Church CCLI#2458953)