We Three Kings
Maranatha! Christmas Lyrics
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Bearing gifts we traverse afar.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.
Frankincense to offer have I.
Incense owns a Deity nigh.
Prayer and praising all men raising,
Worship Him, God on high.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.
Myrrh is mine: it's bitter perfume
Breaths a life of gathering gloom.
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.
Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Sounds through the earth and skies.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light
"We Three Kings" is a Christmas carol that tells the biblical story of the Magi, or the Three Wise Men from the East. The song was composed in 1857 by John Henry Hopkins Jr., who was a deacon and music director at New York's General Theological Seminary. The lyrics talk about the journey of the Three Wise Men, who followed a star towards Bethlehem to find the newborn King of the Jews.
The first verse introduces the Three Kings as they travel through different terrains, including fields, mountains, and fountains, following the bright star that leads them to the baby Jesus. The second verse describes the star as a symbol of hope and guidance, leading them to the perfect Light, which represents the divine revelation of God's grace through the birth of Jesus.
Line by Line Meaning
We three kings of Orient are
We, three wise men from the East, are on a journey.
Bearing gifts we traverse afar.
We carry gifts and travel a great distance.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
We travel through fields, fountains, moors, and mountains.
Following yonder star.
We follow a bright star in the sky.
O star of wonder, star of night,
Oh, what a beautiful star you are, shining at night.
Star with royal beauty bright,
Your brightness and beauty match that of royalty.
Westward leading, still proceeding,
You lead us westward and we keep moving forward.
Guide us to thy perfect Light.
Please guide us to the Light that is perfect for us.
Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,
Our King was born on the plains of Bethlehem.
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
I bring gold to place on His head as a symbol of His worthiness for our adoration.
King forever, ceasing never
He is the eternal King, who will never cease to reign.
Over us all to reign.
He reigns over all of us.
Frankincense to offer have I.
I have brought frankincense to offer as a sign of our worship.
Incense owns a Deity nigh.
The presence of incense signifies that a divine Being is near.
Prayer and praising all men raising,
We pray and praise Him, raising up all people to Him.
Worship Him, God on high.
We worship Him, the God Who is in heaven.
Myrrh is mine: it's bitter perfume
I have brought myrrh, whose bitter scent symbolizes the sorrow and pain that He will face.
Breaths a life of gathering gloom.
The scent of myrrh reminds us of the sorrow and darkness that is to come.
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding dying,
He will suffer and die, making us sorrowful and mournful.
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
He will be buried in a tomb of stone, sealed and cold.
Glorious now behold Him arise,
Now we are filled with glory as we see Him rise up.
King and God and Sacrifice.
He is the King, the God, and the sacrifice all in one.
Alleluia, alleluia!
We sing praises, 'Alleluia, Alleluia!'
Sounds through the earth and skies.
Our joyful sound echoes through the earth and reaches up to the skies.
Writer(s): Larry Hall, John Henry Hopkins, Jr.
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.