We Three Kings
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we travel so far
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Oh, star of wonder, star of might
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
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Earth to heaven replies
Oh, star of wonder, star of might
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy perfect light
Last year, I wrote about and covered Sufjan’s song “All The King’s Horns.” In researching that piece, I read the story of the three kings traveling to see baby Jesus. This led me to the story of the Massacre of the Innocents. King Herod was going to execute every child under the age of 2, and that night Joseph was visited by an Angel telling him to protect Mary and her child by leaving Bethlehem. In this story, the Three Kings are sent to bring Jesus back to King Herod after he was born but were also visited by an Angel telling them not to return to King Herod. This song picks up from there and takes the view from the Kings’ eyes.
I imagine these Three Kings, as they get the order to bring Jesus to King Herod, and then as an Angel visited them in their dreams, about to embark on this journey with a sense of hope, a new beginning. As they travel through field and fountain, moor and mountain, they hold onto the belief that the star will bring them to the Newborn King.
I imagine that as they march through, steadfast toward their savior, they are thinking about their own families. I wonder if they are carrying the weight of the worry for their homes in contrast to the faith that the future is bright with the Newborn King in sight.
That contrast is felt in the rhythm and feel behind “We Three Kings,” which bears Sufjan’s classic sound: quiet but sure, experienced yet innocent. There’s a feeling of contentment alongside hope, which are two things that are hardly possible to keep together. Moor and mountain, I suppose.
I think it’s natural to look for something to guide one to the perfect light. One time I read something Josh Radnor either had written or quoted, I don’t really recall, but to paraphrase; our biggest mistake in life is continuing to hold onto the idea that we are one big thing away from happiness. This was all in an effort to discuss being content versus happy- and I only go this far out of the way to say that it is so much more fun to dream of big things, to hope for something to take you from where you are, and place you right where you want to be. That’s what Christmas is about. It’s a big, hopeful dreamland.
Colin A Haggerty
Ship & Sail
Shipandsailmi@gmail.com
Shipandsail.bandcamp.com (new album True North is available digitally and for vinyl pre-order!)