Hymn
Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning
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.
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!
Shall we not yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and off'rings divine?
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?
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.
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.
Amen.
Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning — Text from American Lutheran Hymnal, 1930. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/brightest-and-best-of-the-sons-of-the-morning
Chord chart coming soon
Want to play this one? Leave your email and we'll let you know when the chords are ready.
Questions about this hymn
Who wrote Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning?
The words of Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning were written by Reginald Heber; the version here was published in 1930. The library holds 13 more hymns by Reginald Heber, including The Son of God goes forth to war and From Greenland's Icy Mountain.
Is Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from American Lutheran Hymnal, published in 1930. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning?
Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning is in 11.10.11.10. Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, Come, Ye Disconsolate, Hail to the Brightness of Zion's Glad Morning! and O Happy Home.