The First Noel
Everly Brothers & Boys Town Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was to certain poor shepards in fields as they lay:
In fields where they lay a keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
And to the earth it gave great light
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel Noel Noel Noel
Born is the King of Israel.
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from the country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
This star drew nigh to the north-west;
O'er Bethlehem it took it's rest,
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
Then entered in those wise men three,
Fell reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the kind of Israel.
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
The song begins with a narration of the story of Jesus' birth, focusing on the role of the angel who delivered the news to the shepherds in the field. The lyrics refer to the shepherds as "certain poor shepherds," likely emphasizing their lower social status as a contrast to the glory of Jesus' birth. The scene is set on a "cold winter's night," emphasizing the humble beginnings of Jesus' arrival into the world. The refrain of "Noel Noel Noel Noel/Born is the King of Israel" serves not only as a reminder of the good news that the angel had delivered but also as a joyful proclamation of the birth of the Savior.
The second stanza of the song shifts focus to the wise men's journey to seek out the King that the star was leading them to. The description of the star as "great light" which continued to shine "both day and night" is an indication of the divine nature of the event. The star led the wise men from a distant land to Bethlehem where it rested above the place where Jesus was born. The wise men then entered the stable, fell to their knees in reverence, and presented their gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense to the baby Jesus. These gifts would have been considered very valuable and were often given to kings, which further underscored the significance of Jesus' birth. The final stanza invites everyone to join in singing praises to the Lord who created heaven and earth and who sacrificed his own blood for humanity, reinforcing the theme of the joy and significance of Jesus' birth.
Line by Line Meaning
The first Noel the angel did say
The angel was the first to proclaim the good news about the birth of Jesus, beginning with the words 'Noel.'
Was to certain poor shepards in fields as they lay:
The angel appeared to poor shepherds who were sleeping in the fields at night.
In fields where they lay a keeping their sheep
They were watching their sheep and keeping them safe from predators.
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
It was a very cold night in the middle of winter, with deep snow and frozen ground.
Noel Noel Noel Noel
The refrain repeats the proclamation of the good news and the birth of the King of Israel.
Born is the King of Israel.
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem fulfills the prophecy about the coming of the Messiah, the King of the Jews and Savior of the world.
They looked up and saw a star
The shepherds saw a bright star in the sky that had not been there before.
Shining in the east beyond them far:
The star was rising in the east, far away from where they were, but it was so bright that they could see it clearly.
And to the earth it gave great light
The star emitted a powerful light that illuminated the entire landscape around them, making it possible for them to see everything in detail.
And so it continued both day and night.
The star never dimmed or disappeared, but remained constant and bright, day and night, until the wise men arrived at Bethlehem.
And by the light of that same star
The wise men also saw the same star and followed it to find Jesus in Bethlehem.
Three wise men came from the country far;
The wise men traveled from distant lands in the east, possibly Persia or Arabia, to find the newborn King.
To seek for a King was their intent,
They were not just curious about the star, but had a specific purpose in mind, namely to find and worship the King of the Jews.
And to follow the star wherever it went.
They had faith in the star as a divine sign that would lead them to the Messiah, and were determined to follow its path wherever it might lead them.
This star drew nigh to the north-west;
The star moved in a specific direction, from the east to the west, and then to the northwest, until it reached the town of Bethlehem.
O'er Bethlehem it took it's rest,
The star stopped over Bethlehem, indicating that this was the place where the King of the Jews was born.
And there it did both stop and stay,
The star did not move from its position, but remained fixed above the town of Bethlehem, shining like a beacon of hope and glory.
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
The star was positioned directly over the house or stable where the baby Jesus was born, marking it as a holy and blessed place.
Then entered in those wise men three,
The wise men finally arrived at Bethlehem after a long and difficult journey, and entered the house where Jesus was born.
Fell reverently upon their knee,
They knelt down in a posture of humility and respect before the newborn King, acknowledging his divine majesty and authority.
And offered there in his presence
The wise men presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus as a sign of their adoration and recognition of his kingship and divinity.
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
These costly and precious gifts symbolized the honor, worship, and gratitude that the wise men offered to the newborn King, whom they recognized as the Messiah.
Then let us all with one accord
The song encourages all who hear it to join in singing praises to the Lord, in unison and harmony, as a way of celebrating the good news of the Savior's birth.
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,
The song calls for a joyous and heartfelt expression of gratitude and worship to God, who sent his Son to save the world from sin and death.
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
True worship acknowledges and glorifies God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things, who brought the universe and humanity into existence by his sovereign power and grace.
And with his blood mankind has bought.
The ultimate expression of God's love and mercy towards humanity is seen in the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, which paid the price for our redemption and opened the way to forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
Contributed by Lincoln B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.