We Three Kings | Santa's Songs | Nursery Rhymes Songs for Kids
We Three Kings
"We Three Kings", original
title "Three Kings of Orient", also known as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi", is a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. At the time of composing the carol, Hopkins
served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City. Many versions of this song have been composed and it
remains a popular Christmas carol.
title "Three Kings of Orient", also known as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi", is a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. At the time of composing the carol, Hopkins
served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City. Many versions of this song have been composed and it
remains a popular Christmas carol.
Lyrics
[as
printed in Hopkins, Carols, Hymns, and Songs, 1st ed., 1863]
printed in Hopkins, Carols, Hymns, and Songs, 1st ed., 1863]
THREE KINGS
OF ORIENT.
1. We Three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder Star.
CHORUS.
O
Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward
leading,
Still
proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.
Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward
leading,
Still
proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.
Gaspard.
2.
Born a King on Bethlehem plain,
Gold I bring to
crown Him again,
King for ever,
Ceasing never
Over us all to reign.
O
Star, &c.
Born a King on Bethlehem plain,
Gold I bring to
crown Him again,
King for ever,
Ceasing never
Over us all to reign.
O
Star, &c.
Melchior.
3. Frankincense to
offer have I,
Incense owns a Deity nigh:
Prayer and
praising
All men
raising,
Worship Him God on
High.
O
Star, &c.
offer have I,
Incense owns a Deity nigh:
Prayer and
praising
All men
raising,
Worship Him God on
High.
O
Star, &c.
Balthazar.
4. Myrrh is
mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;—
Sorrowing,
sighing,
Bleeding,
dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
O
Star, &c.
mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;—
Sorrowing,
sighing,
Bleeding,
dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
O
Star, &c.
5. Glorious now behold Him arise,
King,
and God, and Sacrifice;
Heav’n sings Hallelujah:
Hallelujah the earth replies.
O
Star, &c.
Composition
John Henry Hopkins Jr. organized the carol
in such a way that three male voices would each sing a single verse by himself in
order to correspond with the three kings. The first and last verses of the
carol are sung together by all three as "verses of praise", while the
intermediate verses are sung individually with each king describing the gift he
was bringing. The refrain proceeds to praise the beauty of the Star of
Bethlehem. Nowadays, however, the Magi's solos are typically
not observed when singing the carol.
in such a way that three male voices would each sing a single verse by himself in
order to correspond with the three kings. The first and last verses of the
carol are sung together by all three as "verses of praise", while the
intermediate verses are sung individually with each king describing the gift he
was bringing. The refrain proceeds to praise the beauty of the Star of
Bethlehem. Nowadays, however, the Magi's solos are typically
not observed when singing the carol.
The
carol's melody has been described as "sad" and "shifting"
in nature. Because of this, it highly resembles a song from the Middle Ages and Middle Eastern music, both of which it has been
frequently compared to.
carol's melody has been described as "sad" and "shifting"
in nature. Because of this, it highly resembles a song from the Middle Ages and Middle Eastern music, both of which it has been
frequently compared to.
Context
The
carol centres around the Biblical Magi,
who visited Jesus as
a child in a house (Matthew 2:11) sometime after the his Nativity and
gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh while paying homage to him. Though the event is
recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, there are no further details
given in the new testament with regards to their names, the number of Magi that
were present or whether they were even royal. There are, however, verses
in the old testament that foretell of the visitors. Isaiah 60:6 :. . .The
wealth of the nations will come to you. A multitude of camels will cover you.
The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will
bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the
Lord."<New American Standard Bible> And in two selections from
Psalms: Psalm 72:10 "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay
tribute, and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts." Psalm 72:15
". .and may there be given to him gold from Arabia". <New American
Standard Bible> Hence, the names of the Magi—Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar—and their status as kings from
the Orient are
legendary and based on tradition. The number three stems from the fact that
there were three separate gifts that were given.
carol centres around the Biblical Magi,
who visited Jesus as
a child in a house (Matthew 2:11) sometime after the his Nativity and
gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh while paying homage to him. Though the event is
recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, there are no further details
given in the new testament with regards to their names, the number of Magi that
were present or whether they were even royal. There are, however, verses
in the old testament that foretell of the visitors. Isaiah 60:6 :. . .The
wealth of the nations will come to you. A multitude of camels will cover you.
The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will
bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the
Lord."<New American Standard Bible> And in two selections from
Psalms: Psalm 72:10 "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay
tribute, and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts." Psalm 72:15
". .and may there be given to him gold from Arabia". <New American
Standard Bible> Hence, the names of the Magi—Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar—and their status as kings from
the Orient are
legendary and based on tradition. The number three stems from the fact that
there were three separate gifts that were given.
Background and influence
At
the time he was writing "We Three Kings" in 1857, John Henry Hopkins Jr. was serving as the
rector of Christ Episcopal
Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Although he
originally worked as a journalist for a New York newspaper and studied to become
a lawyer, he
chose to join the clergy upon graduating from the University of Vermont. Hopkins studied at
the General Theological Seminary in New York City and
after graduating and being ordained a deacon in
1850, he became its first music teacher five years later, holding the post
until 1857 alongside his ministry in the Episcopal Church.
the time he was writing "We Three Kings" in 1857, John Henry Hopkins Jr. was serving as the
rector of Christ Episcopal
Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Although he
originally worked as a journalist for a New York newspaper and studied to become
a lawyer, he
chose to join the clergy upon graduating from the University of Vermont. Hopkins studied at
the General Theological Seminary in New York City and
after graduating and being ordained a deacon in
1850, he became its first music teacher five years later, holding the post
until 1857 alongside his ministry in the Episcopal Church.
During
his final year of teaching at the seminary, Hopkins wrote "We Three
Kings" for a Christmas pageant held at the college. It
was noteworthy that Hopkins composed both the lyrics and music; contemporary
carol composers usually wrote either the lyrics or music but not both. Originally
titled "Three Kings of Orient", it was sung within his circle of
family and friends. Because of the popularity it achieved among them, Hopkins
decided to publish the carol in 1863 in his book Carols, Hymns, and
Songs. It was the first Christmas carol originating from the United States to
achieve widespread popularity, as well as the first to be featured
in Christmas Carols Old and New, a "prestigious" and
"influential" collection
of carols that was published in the United Kingdom. In
1916, the carol was printed in the hymnal for the Episcopal Church; that year's
edition was the first to have a separate section for Christmas songs. "We
Three Kings" was also included in the Oxford Book of Carols published in
1928, which praised the song as "one of the most successful of modern
composed carols."
his final year of teaching at the seminary, Hopkins wrote "We Three
Kings" for a Christmas pageant held at the college. It
was noteworthy that Hopkins composed both the lyrics and music; contemporary
carol composers usually wrote either the lyrics or music but not both. Originally
titled "Three Kings of Orient", it was sung within his circle of
family and friends. Because of the popularity it achieved among them, Hopkins
decided to publish the carol in 1863 in his book Carols, Hymns, and
Songs. It was the first Christmas carol originating from the United States to
achieve widespread popularity, as well as the first to be featured
in Christmas Carols Old and New, a "prestigious" and
"influential" collection
of carols that was published in the United Kingdom. In
1916, the carol was printed in the hymnal for the Episcopal Church; that year's
edition was the first to have a separate section for Christmas songs. "We
Three Kings" was also included in the Oxford Book of Carols published in
1928, which praised the song as "one of the most successful of modern
composed carols."
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