We Three Kings
Straight No Chasers Lyrics
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Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Oh star of wonder, star of night
Star of 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 rein
Oh star of wonder, star of night
Star of 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 most high
Oh star of wonder, star of night
Star of royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
Myrrh is mine, a bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, breathing, dying
Sealed in the stone cold tomb
Oh, oh, oh, star of wonder, star of night
Star of royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
Guide us to Thy perfect light
Guide us to Thy perfect light
We Three Kings is a classic Christmas carol that tells the story of the three wise men or three kings who traveled from the East to Judea to witness the birth of Jesus Christ. The first verse introduces the three kings and their mission, which is to follow the star that leads them to the newborn king. The gift-bearing kings travel through different terrains and obstacles, such as fields, fountains, and mountains, but they are guided by the star of wonder, which is described as a bright and royal beauty.
The chorus repeats the phrase "star of wonder, star of night" as a way of glorifying the miraculous star that leads the wise men to Jesus. The second verse talks about the kings' gifts for the baby Jesus, with the first king bringing gold to crown the baby king. The phrase "King forever, ceasing never" speaks to Jesus's everlasting reign as King of the world. The third king brings frankincense as an offering, which represents worship and prayer to a deity. The third verse talks about the gift of myrrh, which represents death and sacrifice, as it was a bitter perfume used in burial rituals. This gift foreshadows Jesus's eventual sacrifice and death on the cross.
The lyrics evoke a sense of wonder, awe, and reverence for the birth of Jesus Christ and the role that the three wise men played in recognizing his divinity. The chorus's repetition of the phrase "Guide us to Thy perfect light" emphasizes the importance of spiritual guidance in seeking God's presence and glory.
Line by Line Meaning
We three kings of Orient are
We are three wise men from the Orient.
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
We are carrying gifts and traveling a great distance.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
We are journeying across fields, fountains, moors, and mountains.
Following yonder star
We are following a particular star.
Oh star of wonder, star of night
We are addressing the star that we are following.
Star of royal beauty bright
We are praising the star's regal splendor and brilliance.
Westward leading, still proceeding
The star is guiding us westward and we are continuing our journey.
Guide us to Thy perfect light
We are asking the star to lead us to the perfect light of God.
Born a king on Bethlehem's plain
A king was born in Bethlehem.
Gold I bring to crown Him again
I have brought gold to honor and glorify the newborn king.
King forever, ceasing never
The king will reign forever and never cease.
Over us all to rein
The king will rule over all of us.
Frankincense to offer have I
I have brought frankincense to offer as a gift.
Incense owns a deity nigh
Incense is associated with nearby deities.
Prayer and praising, all men raising
We will all offer prayers and praise to the newborn king.
Worship Him, God most high
We will worship the king and God in heaven.
Myrrh is mine, a bitter perfume
I have brought myrrh, a bitter-scented perfume.
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
It is associated with both life and death.
Sorrowing, sighing, breathing, dying
There is sadness, sighing, breathing, and dying involved.
Sealed in the stone cold tomb
It is associated with being sealed in a cold tomb.
Guide us to Thy perfect light
We are once again asking the star to guide us to the perfect light of God.
Guide us to Thy perfect light
We repeat the previous line, asking the star to guide us to God's perfect light.
Guide us to Thy perfect light
We repeat the previous line once again, asking the star to guide us to God's perfect light.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John C. Jr. Hopkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Timmy Smith
Didn’t realize how well this song would work in 5/4 but it does, like the changes in time
nunca789
Years ago I enjoyed trying to put songs into different time signatures -- this one goes into 5/4 easier than many, I remember I used to play it around Christmas every year on my piano at home. People wondered "that sounds like We Three Kings, but something's different" :-)
Deanna Moskowitz
I'm not a big fan of this song but their version is good!
John Pasco
this is a breath of fresh air! great job my family really enjoyed this
Melody Young
I like how the beginning sounfs just like the mission impossible theme song...! :)
Otaku Turtle
it is
Tommy Dwyer
I love the third king that brings murr. YOU ARE THE BEST SNC!
Julie Piggott
I am drowning in the awesomeness! :-)
Lindsay Ivan
Best version of We Three Kings
K B
I'd love to hear you guys do the theme to Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas :)