152. Earth has many a noble city

1 Earth has many a noble city;
Bethl'hem, thou dost all excel:
out of thee the Lord from heaven
came to rule his Israel.

2 Fairer than the sun at morning
was the star that told his birth,
to the world its God announcing
seen in fleshly form on earth.

3 Eastern sages at his cradle
make oblations rich and rare;
see them give in deep devotion,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.

4 Sacred gifts of mystic meaning:
incense doth their God disclose,
gold the King of kings proclaimeth,
myrrh his sepulcher foreshows.

5 Jesu, whom the Gentiles worshipped
at thy glad Epiphany,
unto thee with God the Father
and the Spirit glory be.

Text Information
First Line: Earth has many a noble city
Title: Earth has many a noble city
Author: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 348-c. 413
Translator: Edward Caswall, 1814-1878 (alt.)
Meter: 87 87
Language: English
Publication Date: 2000
Scripture: ; ; ;
Topic: Epiphany; Years A, B, and C: Christmas 2; Years A, B, and C: Epiphany
Tune Information
Name: STUTTGART
Arranger: Christian Friedrich Witt, (c. 1660-1716)
Meter: 87 87
Key: G Major
Source: German melody
Notes: A lower setting is included



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