The Star Of The East / Anonymous

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Star of the East, whose beacon light

    A gleam on Bethlehem threw,

And thither by that wondrous sight

    Arabia's sages drew;

On thee in thought we love to gaze

    In western climes afar,

And think on thy mysterious rays,

    Thou lovely eastern star.

Fair is the star of eve that sheds

    Her light betokening rest;

And fair the morning star that leads

    The day in glory drest:

But still more fair thy form arose,

    And lovelier to behold,

Which of a more serene repose

    A brighter glory told.

Hail thou, whose silvery radiance led

    Those Magian chiefs to bring

Their choicest gifts, in worship spread

    Before Judea's King:

That glorious Sun, whose harbinger

    Thy light was made to shine,

And like the pillar'd flame to bear

    Aloft salvation's sign!

Hail thou appointed to adorn

    The rising King of heaven,

The promis'd Child to Judah born,

    The Son to Israel given:

In whom the peaceful empire seal'd

    Should more and more increase;

In Him, the mighty God reveal'd,

    In Him, the Prince of Peace!

So on thy beacon light we gaze

    In western climes afar,

And note thy heav'n-directed rays,

    Thou lovely eastern star:

With praise to Him, who in the sky

    Thy wondrous cresset hung,

Prompt to inform the observing eye,

    Apart from speech or tongue.

Him who permits to all to see

    The light their stations need;

Who chose the star-vers'd sage by thee,

    Star of the east, to lead;

Who made by shepherd swains at night

    The angel's voice be heard;

And gives to use his scripture's light,

    His own recording word.