We Three Kings
St. James Cathedral Choir Lyrics

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We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts, we traverse far
Field and fountain
Moor and mountain
Following yonder star

Oh, star of wonder, star of might
Star with royal beauty bright

Westward leading
Still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light

Born a babe on Bethlehem's plain
Gold we bring to crown him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign

Oh, star of wonder, star of might
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading
Still proceeding
Guide us to the perfect light

Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship God on high

Oh, star of wonder, star of might
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading

Still proceeding
Guide us to the perfect light

Overall Meaning

This is a well-known Christmas carol that talks about the journey of three kings from the Orient who traveled a long distance to Bethlehem to visit the newborn Jesus. As the song goes, they carried with them three presents, namely gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which are believed to be symbols of the baby Jesus’ status as king, his holiness, and eventual death and burial, respectively. The travelers’ ascent through hill and terrain is marked by the “field and fountain, moor and mountain” that they go through. The refrain of the song praises the star that led the way to the “perfect light,” which served as their guide during their arduous journey.

The first verse introduces the three kings, who represent the three wise men from the east. They were named Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar, although the song doesn’t mention their names. They bring gifts that symbolize the baby Jesus’ royal status, divinity, and eventual sacrifice. The second verse extols the bright star that guided the three kings to their destination, signifying its divine origins. The third verse talks about the frankincense that one of the kings brought, acknowledging the holiness of the recipient. Finally, the last verse urges listeners to join in prayer and worship of God.

Line by Line Meaning

We three kings of Orient are
We, three royal men from the East, have come

Bearing gifts, we traverse far
We have traveled a great distance to bring gifts

Field and fountain
We have journeyed through fields and crossed rivers

Moor and mountain
We have traveled through moors and over mountains

Following yonder star
We are following the star that shines in the distance

Oh, star of wonder, star of might
We are in awe of the star that guides us

Star with royal beauty bright
A bright and majestic star that shines in the sky

Westward leading
The star guides us towards the West

Still proceeding
We continue to follow the star

Guide us to thy perfect light
We pray for the star to guide us towards the perfect light of our destination

Born a babe on Bethlehem's plain
The King was born as a baby in Bethlehem