Scripture Verse

There were…shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in The Harp, ed­it­ed by John Pear­son, Jr. (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Am­er­ican Mil­len­ni­al As­so­cia­tion, 1860), num­ber 1004.

Music: By Co­vert, in Songs for Ser­vice, ed­it­ed by Charles P. Whit­ford (Nash­ville, Ten­nes­see: Sou­thern Pub­lish­ing As­so­cia­tion, 1905), pag­es 38–39 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know the au­thor, Co­vert’s full name, or where to get good pic­tures of them (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

illustration
Shepherds Abiding in the Fields
Carl H. Bloch (1834–1890)

Night rest­ed on Ju­dea’s plains
When an­gels came to earth
To bring the pi­ous shep­herds word
Of their Re­deem­er’s birth;
The Christ is born! the an­gel said,
Heaven bears to earth good will;
Go quickly, in the man­ger find
The King of Zi­on’s hill;
Go quick­ly, in the man­her find
The King of Zion’s Hill.

His words were true: the Child was found;
And when to man­hood grown,
By Jor­dan’s stream to won­der­ing crowds
Jehovah made Him known;
This is My Son, the Fa­ther cried,
He comes to do My will;
And He will be, by My de­cree,
The King on Zi­on’s hill;
And He will be, by My decree,
The King on Zi­on’s hill.

Anointed thus the Heir went forth
Our ru­ined world to save,
And in this great and glo­ri­ous work
All Sa­tan’s hosts to brave;
And when the cross be­fore Him rose—
With heart un­daunt­ed still—
I shall yet be on earth, He said,
The King of Zi­on’s hill.
I shall yet be on earth, He said,
The King of Zi­on’s hill.

Nailed to the cross, His head He bowed,
A pray­er, and He was dead;
The cri­sis of the world has come—
O God! had mer­cy fled?
His emp­ty tomb the truth re­veals—
He did His word ful­fill;
He rose tri­um­phant over death,
The King of Zi­on’s hill;
He rose tri­um­phant ov­er death,
The King of Zi­on’s hill.

Go preach My Word, was His com­mand,
To His dis­ci­ples giv’n;
Then slow­ly from the earth He rose
To God’s right hand in Heav’n;
His Church re­mains—His Word re­mains—
Its glo­ry grow­ing still—
And trust­ing mill­ions wait to see
The King of Zi­on’s hill;
And trust­ing mill­ions wait to see
The King of Zion’s hill.

May we be found in that great day,
Among the ran­somed throng
That with im­mor­tal tongues shall sing
The new re­demp­tion song;
For ev­ery foe must sink and fall
Before His so­ve­reign will,
And Christ alone on earth re­newed,
Be king on Zi­on’s hill;
And Christ alone on earth re­newed,
Be king on Zi­on’s hill.