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William Chatterton Dix worked in shipping insurance in Bristol, but also wrote hymns in his spare time. He wrote this popular Epiphany hymn (the most successful of his compositions), on 6 January 1860, when he was in his early twenties), after illness prevented him attending his local Anglican church. He was inspired by the Gospel lesson for the day, the Epiphany story as told at Matthew 2:1–12. The tune to which the hymn is sung was composed by the German composer Conrad Kocher and is commonly called ‘Dix’, although Dix himself professed to dislike the tune.

As with gladness men of old

Did the guiding star behold;

As with joy they hailed its light,

Leading onward, beaming bright;

So, most gracious God, may we

Evermore be led to thee.

As with joyful steps they sped

To that lowly manger bed,

There to bend the knee before

Him whom heaven and earth adore;

So may we with willing feet

Ever seek thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare

At that manger rude and bare;

So may we with holy joy,

Pure and free from sin’s alloy,

All our costliest treasures bring,

Christ, to thee, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day

Keep us in the narrow way;

And, when earthly things are past,

Bring our ransomed souls at last

Where they need no star to guide,

Where no clouds thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright

Need they no created light;

Thou its light, its joy, its crown,

Thou its sun which goes not down;

There for ever may we sing

Alleluias to our King.

William Chatterton Dix (1837–98)