Scripture Verse

They presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11

Introduction

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John Brownlie (1857–1925)

Words: Trans­lat­ed by John Brown­lie, prob­ab­ly from an­cient Greek. Orig­in­al au­thor un­known. Ap­peared in Bron­lie’s Hymns from the East (Pais­ley, Scot­land: Al­ex­an­der Gard­ner, 1907) page 46.

Music: Lake Enon Is­aac B. Wood­bu­ry, 1856 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Isaac Woodbury (1819–1858)

Lyrics

The best that Heav’n could bring—
First fruits, an of­fer­ing free—
Was brought from far, when by the star,
Thew wise men came to Thee.

No scep­ter, and no throne!
The magi were am­azed,
As, with sur­prise, on hum­ble guise
And po­ver­ty, they gazed.

But there Thy God-head shone,
Despite the man­ger bed;
O Christ, the Lord, In­car­nate Word!
’Twas there Thou laid’st Thy head.