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BETHLEHEM IN LAND OF JUDAH

Scripture Verse

Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Micah 5:2

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in The Book of Wor­ship (New York: New Church Board of Pub­li­ca­tions, 1876), num­ber 144.

Music: Drakes Brough­­ton Ed­ward W. Elgar (1857–1934) (🔊 ).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Edward W. Elgar
(1857–1934)

Lyrics

Bethlehem in land of Ju­dah,
Who shall all thy glo­ry tell?
Out of thee the Lord from Heav­en
Came to rule His Is­ra­el.

Fairer than the sun at morn­ing
Was the star that told His birth,
To the world its God an­nounc­ing
Seen in flesh­ly form on earth.

Eastern sag­es at His cra­dle
Make obla­tions rich and rare;
See them give, in deep de­vo­tion,
Gold, and frank­in­cense, and myrrh.

Sacred gifts of mys­tic mean­ing,
Incense doth their faith dis­close;
Gold their hearts’ best love pro­claim­eth,
Myrrh obe­di­ence fore­shows.

Jesus, whom the Gen­tiles wor­shiped
At Thy glad epi­pha­ny,
Unto Thee, our on­ly Fa­ther,
God, and Sav­ior, glo­ry be.