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SDA Hymnal 118

The First Noel

Words: English carolMusic: English carolTune: The First NoelIrregular

Studio

1The first noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

RefrainNoel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

2They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

3And by the light of that same star,
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.

4This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay,
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

5Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee;
And offered there, in His presence,
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

Scripture
Luke 2:8-20; Matthew 2:1-12

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
9.12.9.10
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 39% of beats fit
Rhyme
AABB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

The first noel the angel did say˘/˘/˘/˘˘/9A
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;˘˘/˘//˘˘/˘˘/12A
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,˘//˘//˘˘/9B
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.˘˘//˘/˘˘˘/10B

Verse 2

They looked up and saw a star˘/˘˘/˘/7A
Shining in the east, beyond them far;/˘˘˘/˘/˘/9A
And to the earth it gave great light,˘˘˘/˘///8B
And so it continued both day and night.˘˘˘˘/˘//˘/10B

Verse 3

And by the light of that same star,˘˘˘/˘˘//8A
Three wise men came from country far;////˘/˘/8A
To seek for a king was their intent,˘/˘˘/˘˘//9B
And to follow the star wherever it went.˘˘/˘˘/˘/˘˘/11B

Verse 4

This star drew nigh to the northwest,˘///˘˘//8A
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;//˘/˘/˘/8A
And there it did both stop and stay,˘/˘˘//˘/8B
Right over the place where Jesus lay.//˘˘///˘/9B

Verse 5

Then entered in those wise men three,//˘˘˘///8A
Full reverently upon their knee;//˘˘˘˘/˘/9A
And offered there, in His presence,˘/˘/˘˘/˘8B
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.˘/˘/˘/˘/8C

Refrain

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
Born is the King of Israel./˘˘/˘/˘˘8B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.