When sages saw a hopeful sign

When sages saw a hopeful sign in one great shining star,

They set off on a journey, no matter how bizarre, 

To see a promised King born in a Land so very far.

These sages did follow a star, traveling far.

These sages did follow a star.

 

They first came to Jerusalem where royalty did reign,

But those who heard their question pulled back in fear and pain.

They finally learned where they should go and traveled on again,

These sages still followed a star, traveling far.

These sages still followed a star.

 

The star struck forth ahead of them and brightly led the way

To Bethlehem in Judah, and there the star did stay,

And there they found the house in which the promised child did stay.

These sages had followed a star, traveling far.

These sages had followed a star.

 

They knelt in worship of the child the star foretold as King, 

But then they saw a vision that told a frightful thing,

So they went home a different way to ward off Herod's sting,

And gave thanks that they followed a star, traveling far

They gave thanks that they followed a star.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024, after Matthew 2:1-12

MUSIC: Tune GOD REST YOU MERRY (or GOD REST YE MERRY), 

            traditional English melody.

 

 

It seems as if the habit of conflating the journey of the Magi told in Matthew into the nativity story found in Luke is a hard one to break. (Even one of my own texts suitable for Epiphany does so, at least a little.) This represents an attempt to let the Matthew account stand on its own. The tune is of course from a familiar Christmas carol that seems to have faded from use, at least a little bit. (As is often the case, the tune is public domain but many arrangements you might find are not; report accordingly.)

*edited to fix error in measures 2 and 6