Music of the Season – We Three Kings

Greetings Dear Reader,

I love this song because I love the story so much.  I am finished with the research and am working on a novel about the journey and story of the Magi.  What I love about the song is that it is both terrible and beautiful all at once.  John Henry Hopkins captures the amazing paradox of the joy of Christ’s advent and the horror of his destiny in this beautiful piece of music.

One of my favorite recordings of this song is the California Raisins Christmas Special with the doo wop camels.  I think of the faith and courage it must have taken for these men to journey from the east to honor a king.  This journey was one of danger and discovery. 

We Three Kings – John Henry Hopkins

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.

Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,

Gold I bring to crown Him again,

King forever, ceasing never

Over us all to reign.

 (Chorus)

Frankincense to offer have I.

Incense owns a Deity nigh.

Prayer and praising all men raising,

Worship Him, God on high.

(Chorus)

Myrrh is mine: Its bitter perfume

Breaths a life of gathering gloom.

Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding dying,

Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

(Chorus)

Glorious now behold Him arise,

King and God and Sacrifice.

Alleluia, Alleluia

Sounds through the earth and skies.

(Chorus)

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."