John Bowring: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning

John Bowring

“Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning” as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920).

John Bowring: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1920 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Army and Navy Hymnal, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

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.

Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,

Odors of Edom and offerings divine,

Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,

Myrrh from the forest, or 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.

Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining,

Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;

Angels adore him in slumber reclining,

Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.

Amen.

Credits

Written by John Bowring

Words by John Bowring. Historical text published in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), “Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning”

The 1920 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; traditional and anonymous entries are public domain. Pages whose scan quality is below the proofread threshold are held for review.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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