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What star is this, with beams so bright, More lovely than the noon-day light?

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What star is this, with beams so bright, More lovely than the noon-day light?

Translator: John Chandler; Author: Charles Coffin (1736)
Tune: PUER NOBIS NASCITUR
Published in 92 hymnals

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Five for Christmas

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WHAT STAR IS THIS?

Representative Text

1. What star is this, with beams so bright,
Which shame the sun’s less radiant light?
’Tis sent t’ announce a new-born King,
Glad tidings of our God to bring.

2. ’Tis now fulfilled what God decreed:
“From Jacob shall a star proceed”;
And lo! the eastern sages stand
To read in heav’n the Lord’s command.

3. While outward signs the star displays,
An inward light the Lord conveys,
And urges them, with force benign,
To seek the Giver of the sign.

4. Oh, while the star of heav’nly grace
Invites us, Lord, to seek thy face,
May we no more that grace repel,
Or quench that light, which shines so well!

5. To God the Father, God the Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,
May every tongue and nation raise
An endless song of thankful praise!

Source: Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #41b

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Translator: John Chandler

John Chandler, one of the most successful translators of hymns, was born at Witley in Surrey, June 16, 1806. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, B.A. 1827, M.A. 1830. Ordained deacon in 1831 and priest in 1832, he succeeded his father as the patron and vicar of Whitley, in 1837. His first volume, entitled The Hymns of the Primitive Church, now first Collected, Translated and Arranged, 1837, contained 100 hymns, for the most part ancient, with a few additions from the Paris Breviary of 1736. Four years later, he republished this volume under the title of hymns of the Church, mostly primitive, collected, translated and arranged for public use, 1841. Other publications include a Life of William of Wykeham, 1842, and Horae s… Go to person page >

Author: Charles Coffin

Coffin, Charles, born at Buzaney (Ardennes) in 1676, died 1749, was principal of the college at Beauvais, 1712 (succeeding the historian Rollin), and rector of the University of Paris, 1718. He published in 1727 some, of his Latin poems, for which he was already noted, and in 1736 the bulk of his hymns appeared in the Paris Breviary of that year. In the same year he published them as Hymni Sacri Auctore Carolo Coffin, and in 1755 a complete ed. of his Works was issued in 2 vols. To his Hymni Sacri is prefixed an interesting preface. The whole plan of his hymns, and of the Paris Breviary which he so largely influenced, comes out in his words. "In his porro scribendis Hymnis non tam poetico indulgendunv spiritui, quam nitoro et pietate co… Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: What star is this, with beams so bright, More lovely than the noon-day light?
Latin Title: Quem stella sole pulchrior
Author: Charles Coffin (1736)
Translator: John Chandler
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
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Tune

PUER NOBIS NASCITUR

PUER NOBIS is a melody from a fifteenth-century manuscript from Trier. However, the tune probably dates from an earlier time and may even have folk roots. PUER NOBIS was altered in Spangenberg's Christliches GesangbUchlein (1568), in Petri's famous Piae Cantiones (1582), and again in Praetorius's (P…

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The Cyber Hymnal #7295
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Instances

Instances (1 - 25 of 25)

Ambassador Hymnal #337

Ambassador Hymnal #337
TextPage Scan

Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #103

Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #103
TextPage Scan

Catholic Book of Worship III #349

Catholic Book of Worship III #349
TextPage Scan

CPWI Hymnal #109

CPWI Hymnal #109

Credo Hymnal #147

Credo Hymnal #147
Page Scan

Gather (3rd ed.) #461

Gather (3rd ed.) #461
TextPage Scan

Gather Comprehensive #378

Gather Comprehensive #378
Page Scan

Gather Comprehensive, Second Edition #389

Gather Comprehensive, Second Edition #389
Text InfoTextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Glory to God #152

Glory to God #152
TextPage Scan

Hymnal Supplement 1991 #736

Hymnal Supplement 1991 #736
Text

Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #41b

Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #41b
TextPage Scan

Journeysongs (2nd ed.) #370

Journeysongs (2nd ed.) #370
TextPage Scan

Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #336

Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #336
TextPage Scan

One in Faith #410

One in Faith #410
Text

Rejoice in the Lord #227

Rejoice in the Lord #227
TextPage Scan

RitualSong (2nd ed.) #553

RitualSong (2nd ed.) #553
TextPage Scan

RitualSong #531

RitualSong #531
Text

Singing Our Faith #119

Singing Our Faith #119
Text

The Book of Praise #170

The Book of Praise #170

The Covenant Hymnal #196

The Covenant Hymnal #196
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #7295

The Cyber Hymnal #7295
TextPage Scan

The Hymnal 1982 #124

The Hymnal 1982 #124
TextPage Scan

The Presbyterian Hymnal #68

The Presbyterian Hymnal #68
TextPage Scan

Worship (3rd ed.) #407

Worship (3rd ed.) #407
TextPage Scan

Worship (4th ed.) #448

Worship (4th ed.) #448
Include 67 pre-1979 instances
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