When from the East the Wise Men Came

When from the East the Ma­gi came

Led by the Star of Beth­le­hem

The gifts they brought to Je­sus were

Of gold

and frank­in­cense and myrrh.

Bright gold of Oph­ir

pass­ing fine

Proclaims a king of roy­al line;

For Da­vid’s son in Da­vid’s town

Is born the heir of Da­vid’s crown.

The in­cense clouds

with frag­rance rare

The pre­sence of a God de­clare;

Lo! kings in ad­ora­tion fall

For Ma­ry’s Son is Lord of all.

The myrrh

with bit­ter taste

fore­shows

A life of sor­rows

wounds

and woes—

The dead­ly cup

that over­ran

With ang­uish for the Son of Man.

Our gold up­on Thine al­tar lies;

Our pray­ers to Thee

as in­cense

rise;

Accept as myrrh our tears and sighs:

O King

O God

O Sac­ri­fice!