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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 137

We Three Kings

Words: John H. Hopkins Jr.Music: John H. Hopkins Jr.Tune: Kings of Orient8.8.4.4.6 with Refrain

Studio

1We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

RefrainO star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect light.

2Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.

3Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh:
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship Him, God on high.

4Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom:
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

5Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Sounds through the earth and skies.

Scripture
Matthew 2:1-12

The verse

Meter
8.8.4.4.6 · as printed
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 54% of beats fit
Rhyme
AABBA
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

We three kings of Orient are;˘//˘/˘/˘8A
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,/˘/˘/˘˘/8A
Field and fountain,/˘/˘4B
moor and mountain,/˘/˘4B
Following yonder star./˘˘/˘/6A

Verse 2

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,/˘/˘/˘//8A
Gold I bring to crown Him again,/˘/˘/˘˘/8B
King forever, ceasing never,/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Over us all to reign./˘˘/˘/6A

Verse 3

Frankincense to offer have I;/˘/˘/˘˘˘8A
Incense owns a Deity nigh:///˘/˘˘/8A
Prayer and praising,/˘/˘4B
all men raising,///˘4B
Worship Him, God on high./˘˘/˘/6A

Verse 4

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume/˘/˘/˘˘/8A
Breathes a life of gathering gloom:/˘/˘/˘˘/8A
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,/˘˘/˘/˘/˘9B
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb./˘˘???/7A

Verse 5

Glorious now behold Him arise,/˘˘/˘/˘˘/9A
King and God and Sacrifice:/˘/˘/˘/7B
Alleluia, alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Sounds through the earth and skies.//˘/˘/6A

Refrain

O star of wonder, star of night,˘/˘/˘/˘/8A
Star with royal beauty bright,/˘/˘/˘/7A
Westward leading, still proceeding,/˘/˘/˘/˘8B
Guide us to Thy perfect light./˘˘/˘//7A

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.