1 We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of light,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.
2 Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign. [Refrain]
3 Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshiping God on high. [Refrain]
4 Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb. [Refrain]
5 Glorious now behold him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
sounds through the earth and skies
the names of the Magi—Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar—and their status as kings from the Orient are legendary and based on tradition. The number three stems from the fact that there were three separate gifts that were given.
Magi, or wise men, who followed a star from the East to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. There they found Mary and the baby Jesus and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh
Frankincense was used for worship in the Temple; it is symbolic of Christ the High Priest.
Gold is symbolic of Christ the King.
Myrrh a perfume, was used to anoint dead bodies, it is symbolic of His death for the sake of truth, and therefore of Christ the Prophet.
Melchior was often referred to as the oldest member of the Magi. He was traditionally called the King of Persia and brought the gift of gold to Jesus
Gaspar is often represented as a king of India and is usually said to have given the gift of frankincense to the Christ Child.
Because ancient societies of Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans burned frankincense or myrrh incense during rituals, these resins were in high demand and expensive due to the tolls, taxes, and labor expenses incurred when transporting them across treacherous routes to markets.
In the Bible, myrrh was used as an anointing or embalming oil, and frankincense was used as perfume or incense.
Commonly used to embalm bodies, the gift of myrrh foreshadows Jesus' death. We see in John 19:38-40 that Nicodemus brought myrrh at the time of Jesus' burial: After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus
In pharmacology, myrrh has been used as an antiseptic in mouthwashes, gargles, and toothpastes. It has also been used in liniments and salves applied to abrasions and other minor skin ailments. Myrrh has been used as an analgesic for toothache pain and in liniments applied to bruises, aching muscles, and sprains.
Myrrh is native to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. The tree that produces myrrh is called Commiphora myrrha, and is also known as African myrrh, herabol myrrh, Somali myrrh, and common myrrh.
