We Three Kings Lyrics in Large Print: Free Printable PDF
The words of We Three Kings are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. John Henry Hopkins Jr. wrote the words and music in 1857. They were published before 1930, so they are public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words by | John Henry Hopkins Jr., written 1857, published 1863 |
|---|---|
| Music | John Henry Hopkins Jr., 1857 |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
We Three Kings of Orient Are in large print: words and download
We Three Kings of Orient Are
We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Words: John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1857). Music: John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1857). Public domain in the United States: words written 1857, published 1863 (US, published 1929 or earlier).
The words above are set the way this site sets every song: left aligned, one column, plain type with no italics, and a blank line between stanzas. The sheet has 10 stanzas and 40 lines. We Three Kings is one of the songs in our large print Christmas carols collection, where you can print it with others in one PDF, and the whole set of texts is listed on the large print prayers and hymns page.
Who wrote We Three Kings and when?
John Henry Hopkins Jr. was rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. According to Wikipedia he wrote the carol in 1857 for a Christmas pageant in New York City, and it became the first widely popular Christmas carol written in America. He arranged it for three male voices, one for each king, so that each sings his own verse about the gift he carries, with everyone joining for the first and last verses and the refrain.
The names of the kings, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, and their rank as kings are tradition; the Gospel of Matthew, as Wikipedia notes, does not give the number, names or rank of the Magi. The number three comes from the three gifts.
When is We Three Kings sung?
It is sung in the Christmas season and especially around Epiphany, on 6 January, the day many churches remember the visit of the Magi. If you are planning a folder of songs for the same occasion, the sheets for The First Noel and God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen use the same layout, so they sit well together.
How do you print We Three Kings for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
In our layout tests on US Letter paper, We Three Kings takes 2 pages at 18 point, 3 at 24 point and 4 at 28 point. On 11 x 17 paper at 24 point it takes 2 pages. Eighteen point is the smallest size we offer, because the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) says print below 18 point is not large print, and our page on what large print is explains the reasons for 18, 24 and 28 point.
Count the singers first. For a church service, print one copy for each place and keep a small stack at the door. For a sing-along, one for each person. For a care-home visit, one for each resident plus the helpers, printed single-sided so the sheet lies flat on a lap tray. With ten stanzas, it is a good candidate for a solo-verse arrangement. Mark each solo verse in pencil for the three readers, and keep a 28 point copy for whoever sings the last verse.