Scripture Verse

The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. Matthew 2:9

Introduction

Words: ca­rol M. Bruen­ing, in Glad Tid­ings, by Will­iam L. Ma­son (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1899), pag­es 194–95.

Music: Will­iam L. Ma­son (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Bruen­ing or Ma­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

The won­drous star of Beth­le­hem
That shone so long ago,
To show the wise men where the Lord
Of Heav’n was laid be­low,
Throws out its bril­liant, beau­teo­us rays
Today o’er all the earth,
And bids us joy­ful­ly pro­claim
The bless­èd Sav­ior’s birth.

Refrain

Then ov­er the snow
The ec­ho comes to us again;
Proclaim the birth­day of the Christ,
Who came to earth,
Who came to earth to reign.

The white winged an­gels com­ing down,
And fill­ing all the sky
With mu­sic from their gold­en harps,
And sing­ing from on high,
Bid us to­day, as they did then,
The glo­ri­ous an­them swell,
And thro’ the world on Christ­mas day
The same old sto­ry tell.

Refrain

Shine out, O star of Beth­le­hem!
Ye white winged an­gels, sing!
Oh, Christ­mas bells in all the tow­ers,
Ring out the tid­ings, ring!
For joy is fill­ing all the earth,
And peace each heart sur­rounds,
And with us ev­er­more abides
The love that knows no bounds.

Refrain

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