Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning

Words: Reginald Heber, 1811. Heber originally wrote this hymn for the Feast of the Epiphany. It was first published in the Christian Observer in 1811, but did not appear in hymnals until after Heber’s death.

Music: Morning Star James P. Harding, 1892 (🔊 pdf nwc). The tune was written to be used at the Gifford Hall Mission in London.

Alternate Tunes:

Epiphany (Thrupp) Joseph F. Thrupp, in Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, by Turle, 1853 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Epiphany (Wesley) Samuel S. Wesley, in Kemble’s Selection, 1864 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Folsom arranged from Mozart in Happy Greetings (New York: Asa Hull, 1888), page 147 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Liebster Immanuel Himmels-Lust, 1679. Adapted by Johann S. Bach (🔊 pdf nwc)
St. Ninian John B. Dykes, 1866 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Star in the East Harmonia Sacra, 1753 (🔊 pdf nwc)

If you know where to get a good photo of Harding (head-and-shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all!

Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and offerings divine?
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favor secure;
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Hail the blest morn when the great mediator
Down from the regions of glory descends.
Shepherds, go worship the Babe in the manger;
Lo! for His guard the bright angels attend.

Scripture Verse

Introduction

Lyrics