Lord when the wise men came from far
Sidney Godolphin (1610-1643)
Lord when the wise men came from far
Led to thy cradle by a star,
Then did the shepherds too rejoice,
Instructed by thy angels voice,
Blest were the wise men in their skill,
And shepherds in their harmless will.
Wise men in tracing natures laws
Ascend unto the highest cause,
Shepherds with humble fearfulnesses
Walk safely, though their light be less:
Though wise men better know the way
It seems no honest heart can stray.
There is no merit in the wise
But love, (the shepherds sacrifice).
Wise men all ways of knowledge past,
To the' shepherds wonder come at last,
To know, can only wonder breed,
And not to know, is wonders seeded.
A wise man at the Altar bows
And offers up his studied vows
And is received; may not the tears,
Which spring too from a shepherds fears,
And sighs upon his frailty spent,
Though not distinct, be eloquent?
Tis true, the object sanctifies
All passions which within us rise,
But since no creature comprehends
The cause of causes, end of ends,
He who himself vouchsafes to know
Best pleases his creator sue.
When then our sorrows we apply
To our own wants and poverty,
When we look up in all distress
And our own misery confess
Sending both thanks and prayers above,
Then though we do not know, we love.
Prayer
O God
Who by a star
guided the wise men to the worship of your Son
we pray you to lead to yourself
the wise and great of every land
that unto you every knee may bow,
and every thought be brought into captivity
to Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Three Drovers
Lyrics by John Wheeler, music by William G. James, 1948
Across the plains one Christmas night
Three drovers riding blithe and gay,
Looked up and saw a starry light
More radiant than the Milky Way;
And on their hearts such wonder fell,
They sang with joy. 'Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel!'
May the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting. Amen.
