Text: NFS Grundtvig (1783-1872) Tune: Jakob Meidel (1758-1857)
Bright and glorious is the sky
With the sparkling stars on high,
'How they glitter, brightly gleaming,
How they twinkle, gladly beaming,
As they draw our hearts to heav’n,
As they draw our hearts to heav’n.
2. In the midst of Christmas night,
While the stars were shining bright,
Suddenly, so clear and radiant
One appeared and shone resplendent
With the luster of the sun,
With the luster of the sun.
3. Long ago it was foretold
By God’s chosen men of old
When at midnight such a wonder
Would appear in heaven yonder
And a Savior King be born
And a Savior King be born.
4. Wisemen by this star were led
To the Christ child’s lowly bed,
Guiding star, O may we heed thee
Follow where your light is leading,
Leading to our heavenly King
Leading to our heavenly King.
5. Christ they found in Bethlehem,
There without a diadem,
Only Mary meek and lowly
With her baby pure and holy,
Resting in her loving arms,
Restng in her loving arms.
6. In his word, God did provide
Such a star to be our guide.
Holy Scripture, God’s own story
Does reveal to us the glory
Leading us to Christ our Lord
Leading us to Christ our Lord.
Tr. comp.
REFLECTION
This lovely hymn by Grundtvig, his first, tells how the wisemen read the stars like we should read the bible. Their lore had taught them to see in the heavens portents and prophecies they should heed. Which they did. So much so they made a hard journey to Bethlehem to find the Christ. T. S. Eliot’s poem The Journey of The Magi shows us that.
Grundtvig makes the magi following the star a parable of how we are brought to faith through the word. The star is there like Holy Scripture. It will guide us to our Lord for life.
Over time, the story of the wisemen has been allegorized to mean far more, probably than Matthew meant, but it works. The gifts of the wisemen, gold, frankincense and myrrh, signified to the medieval mind and maybe Matthew, Jesus’ fate: gold for a king, frankincense for a sacrifice at worship, and myrrh to lave a dead corpse. The wisemen also came to represent the three known continents at the time and even received names, Melchior, representing Europe, supposedly the oldest, brought gold. He is often portrayed with a long white beard; Caspar, from Arabia, the youngest brought frankincense, Balthatzar, middle aged, from Africa, often painted as an African king, brought the myrrh.
While biblical scholars will point to the account in Matthew and say none of that is here, and want to strip away all the rich imagery that has developed around the event, the Christian mind has elaborated on this event with the kind of richness that still endures. As we follow the star—that is read the Word—we may find hints, say in Daniel who lived in Persia, or talk of camels in Isaiah 60, that make possible such interpretations and enrich our experience of the Incarnation.
Throughout medieval Europe and around the world, the account of the three Kings became a festival which developed a tradition of King’s Cakes which the Frech brought to New Orleans. Many other traditions were spawned by the story of the wisemen, or magi, making their way over the old roads from Babylon to worship a child who was king, causing Herod to slaughter the innocents he feared would depose him. Which ultimately he did. He would be sacrificed and worshiped, and die, but be raised again. And in the stories of the old to young, and the three continents, we see how Jesus has drawn unto himself all people, from the known world and later all the world.
Enjoy this great festival and take pleasure in it. Make a King’s Cake, hide a little figure of the Christ child in it, teach the hymn to your children, grandchildren, or others, and look deeply into the cosmos of the word that has changed everything in the universe! Happy Epiphany!
HYMN INFO
This was Grundtvig's first hymn written in 1810 between a manic and depressive stage. The original had 19 stanzas, but he shortened it to seven, most of which we have in English. It was considered a children’s song, written to teach them about the Wisemen. Grundtvig had criticized the hymnal of Denmark at the time for being brackish and not the fresh running brook of the Gospel. He wanted hymns that preached the Gospel. This hymn really announces what he will do for the rest of his life. It was first published as a hymn in 1832 in a hymnal for children, Historiske Psalmer og Riim for Børne Lærdom by L. C. Hagen. It has been obligatory in every Danish and Norwegian hymnal for many years and now American Lutheran hymnals.
The tune that is the most popular—although there are several associated with the text—comes from Jakob Meidell, a sea captain, born in Balestrand, Norway, but who spent his adult life in Denmark. It was originally thought to be a folk tune, but now it is attributed to Meidell who apparently wrote no other music.
LINKS
Harpist with English Lyrics
Danish Girls Choir
Icelandic Children's
Akademisk Kor Aarhus
Bo Holten’s Choir
Iver Kleive, Povl Dissing, Knut Reiersrud