Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

portrait
Sabine Baring-Gould
(1834–1924)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Sa­bine Bar­ing-Gould (1834–1924). Ap­peared in Car­ols Old and Car­ols New, by Charles L. Hut­chins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Par­ish Choir, 1916).

Music: Les­ne­ven, com­pos­er un­known (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

The winds were wail­ing o’er the wold,
The frost­ed earth lay white;
The stars were spark­ling keen and cold
All in the wint­ry night;
When lo! the hea­vens blazed as gold,
And all was ra­di­ant light.

Refrain

Noël! No­ël! the Babe is born
In Beth­le­hem this day.

The shep­herds were crouch­ing o’er the fire
On pipes of straw did play;
When lo! broke forth the an­gel choir,
And night was turned to day.
The heav’ns re­joice! Let earth ad­mire
The tid­ings they did say.

Refrain

For un­to us a child is born,
A king of Da­vid’s race,
With peace to ev­ery hearth and home,
And men in ev­ery place;
For Sa­tan’s cru­el reign is done,
Begun the reign of grace.

Refrain

United, ye Chris­tian peo­ple all,
In hymns of ho­ly mirth;
Bring voice of praise, and sup­pli­ant call
Emmanuel on earth!
Behold the man­ger, pros­trate fall,
And hail the heav’n­ly birth.

Refrain

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