What Child Is This?
What Child Is This?
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
THE TUNE for this Christmas hymn was sung long before its words were written. “Greensleeves” is an English folk song that can be traced back as far as the 1500s. Shakespeare even mentioned it in one of his plays.
William Dix was an Anglican layman, born in Bristol, England. He settled in Glasgow, Scotland, where he became a successful insurance salesman. As a young man of twenty-nine, Dix was stricken by a serious illness and was confined to bed for some time. He suffered deep depression during this time, but through it all he met God in a very personal way. His spiritual experience led to the composition of this hymn and many others, including “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” (May 7).
This lovely text was originally part of a longer Christmas poem called “The Manger Throne.”
When [the wise men] saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:10-11
From the book
