Scripture Verse

We have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him. Matthew 2:2

Introduction

Words: Ida L. Reed, in Gifts for the King, 1913. Some hym­nals in­cor­rect­ly give the au­thor as Ida Reed Smith.

Music: Ira B. Wil­son (🔊 pdf nwc). Some hym­nals show the com­pos­er as Fred B. Hol­ton, Wil­son’s pseu­do­nym.

portrait
Ida L. Reed
1865–1951

Lyrics

illustration
The Star of Bethlehem
Gustave Doré (1832–1883)

O star of match­less splen­dor,
We hail thy beau­te­ous light;
We hail the glo­ri­ous tid­ings
Of that first Christ­mas night.
No star of all the glo­ri­ous train,
That decks Heav’n’s az­ure plain,
Compares with thy ce­le­sti­al ray,
O star of hope most bright.

Refrain

Beautiful star, won­der­ful star,
Guiding us on­ward thro’ earth’s dark­est night;
Bright is thy beam­ing, gold­en thy gleam­ing,
Beautiful, beau­ti­ful star so bright.

O star of match­less splen­dor,
Tho’ cen­tu­ries have rolled
Away since thy clear shin­ing
Bathed Beth­le­hem in gold,
Thy beams are fall­ing pure and clear,
On lands afar and near,
And ev­ery day more won­der­ful
Thy mes­sage doth un­fold.

Refrain

O star of match­less splen­dor,
On ev­ery land shine clear,
Till all shall see thy ra­di­ance,
And thy sweet mes­sage hear.
Till ev­ery sha­dow of the night
Is lost in con­quer­ing light,
And all the world thy Lord shall know,
O star of love so dear.

Refrain