Brightest and best of the sons of the morning

General information

This is an hymn by Reginald Heber, first published in the periodical The Christian Observer, 1811, Volume 10, No. 11, p. 697.

Apparently, Heber's hymn was put to music first in 1830, in The Christian Lyre, in the song Star in the East, where Heber's first (and fifth) stanza becomes the chorus, with an anonymous first stanza (Hail the blest morn, see the great Mediator); Heber's stanzas two through four become the following stanzas of Star in the East.

Heber originally wrote this hymn for the Feast of the Epiphany. It did not appear in hymnals until after Heber’s death.

Settings by composers (manually updated)

Anonymous Unison Crys Armbrust SATB (replaces v. 4 with variant 1) Joseph Barnby SATB Henry Walford Davies SATB Deodatus Dutton SB or TB

James Proctor Harding SATB Edward John Hopkins SATB Traditional SATB Samuel Sebastian Wesley SATB

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Anonymous — Brightest and best of the stars of the morning  English Unison
• Crys Armbrust — Brightest and best  English SATB
• Joseph Barnby — Brightest and best of the sons of the morning  English SATB
• Henry Walford Davies — Brightest and best of the sons of the morning  English SATB
• Deodatus Dutton — Star in the East  English TB
• James Proctor Harding — Brightest and best of the stars of the morning  English SATB
• Edward John Hopkins — Brightest and best  English SATB
• Traditional — Brightest and best  English SATB
• Samuel Sebastian Wesley — Brightest and best  English SATB

 

Text and translations

English text The Christian Observer, 1811 1. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid! Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid! 2. Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining, Low its his bed with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore him in slumber reclining, Maker, and Monarch, and Savior of all! 3. Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom and offerings divine; Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine? 4. Vainly we offer each ample oblation; Vainly with gold would his favor secure: Richer by far is the heart's adoration; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor! 5. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid! Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Christian Secretary, 1822 1. Kindest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid; Star in the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. 2. Cold on his cradle the dew drops are shining, Low lies his bed with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore him in slumbers reclining, Maker and Monarch and Savior of all. 3. Say shall we yield him in costly devotion, Odors of Eden, or offerings divine, Gems from the mountains and pearls from the ocean, Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine. 4. Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gold we his favor secure; Richer by far is the heart's adoration, Dearest to God are the prayers of the poor.

Evangelical Hymns, 1829 1. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid; Star in the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. 2. Cold was his cradle, the dew-drops were shining; Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore him in slumbers reclining, Maker, and Monarch, and Sovereign of all. 3. Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odors from Eden, and offerings divine? Gems from the mountain, and pearls from the ocean, Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine? 4. Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly, with gold, we his favor secure; Richer, by far, is the heart's adoration, Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

The Christian Lyre, Supplement, 1831 1. Hail the blest morn! see the great Mediator, Down from the regions of glory descend! Shepherds, go worship the babe in the manger, Lo, for his guard, the bright angels attend. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid; Star in the east, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer was laid. 2. Cold on his cradle the dew drops are shining: Low lies his bed with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore him, in slumbers reclining, Wise men and shepherds before him do fall. 3. Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odors of Eden, and offerings divine, Gems from the mountains and pearls from the ocean, Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine. 4. Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gold we his favor secure; Richer by far is the heart's adoration; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

English text The Hymnal, 1982 1. Brightest and best of the stars of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid; Star of the east, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. Refrain: Brightest and best of the stars of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid; Star of the east, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. 2. Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining, Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall; Angels adore him in slumber reclining, Maker and Monarch and Savior of all. 3. Shall we then yield him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom, and offerings divine, Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine? 4. Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gifts would his favor secure, Richer by far is the heart’s adoration, Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. 5. Brightest and best of the stars of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid; Star of the east, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Variant 1 Brightest and best dawn on our darkness, Star of the East, lend us thine aid; And guide us to your throne, Brightest and best.

References

• Canfield, P., Editor. 1822. The Christian Secretary 1(47):188.
• Cleland, Thomas, Editor. 1828. Evangelical Hymns for Private, Family, Social, and Public Worship. Lexington, Kentucky: T. T. Skillman.
• Heber, Reginald. 1811. Hymns Appropriate to the Sundays and Principal Holidays … Epiphany. The Christian Observer 10(119):697.
• Spring, Gardner, Compiler. 1823. The Brick Church Hymns, Designed for the Use of Social Prayer Meetings and Families. New York, New York: Members of Brick Church.