Scripture Verse

Where is the One who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him. Matthew 2:1–2

Introduction

portrait
Marie Wexelsen (1832–1911)

Words: In­ger M. Wex­el­sen, 1859. Trans­lat­ed from Nor­we­gian to Eng­lish by Peter A. Sve­eg­gen, 1931. In Wex­el­sen’s book Ke­til, en Jule­gave for de Smaa (Ke­til, a Christ­mas Gift for Lit­tle Ones), this song in­tro­duced a long­er story. At that time, she ti­tled it The Child’s Christ­mas Car­ol.

Music: Christ­mas Eve (Knud­sen) Pe­der Knud­sen, 1859 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Knud­sen (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Peter A. Sveeggen
(1881–1959)

Lyrics

I am so glad each Christ­mas Eve,
The night of Je­sus’ birth!
Then like the sun the star shone forth,
And an­gels sang on earth.

The lit­tle Child in Beth­le­hem,
He was a king in­deed!
For He came down from Hea­ven ab­ove
To help a world in need.

He dwells again in Hea­ven’s realm,
The Son of God to­day;
And still He loves His lit­tle ones
And hears them when they pray.

I am so glad on Christ­mas Eve!
His prais­es then I sing;
He op­ens then for ev­ery child
The pal­ace of the King.

The re­main­ing stanzas are best suit­ed for home use.

When mo­ther trims the Christ­mas tree
Which fills the room with light,
She tells me of the won­drous star
That made the dark world bright.

She says the star is shin­ing still,
And ne­ver will grow dim;
And if it shines up­on my way,
It leads me up to Him.

And so I love each Christ­mas Eve
And I love Je­sus, too;
And that He loves me ev­ery day
I know so well is true.