While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night Easy Piano

Representative Text

1 While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
an angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around.

2 "Fear not," said he for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind
"glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.

3 "To you, in David's town, this day
is born of David's line
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord;
and this shall be the sign:

4 "The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all simply wrapped in swaddling clothes
and in a manger laid."

5 Thus spoke the angel. Suddenly
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:

6 "All glory be to God on high,
and to the earth be peace;
to those on whom his favor rests
goodwill shall never cease."

Psalter Hymnal, 1987

Author: Nahum Tate

Nahum Tate was born in Dublin and graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, B.A. 1672. He lacked great talent but wrote much for the stage, adapting other men's work, really successful only in a version of King Lear. Although he collaborated with Dryden on several occasions, he was never fully in step with the intellectual life of his times, and spent most of his life in a futile pursuit of popular favor. Nonetheless, he was appointed poet laureate in 1692 and royal historiographer in 1702. He is now known only for the New Version of the Psalms of David, 1696, which he produced in collaboration with Nicholas Brady. Poverty stricken throughout much of his life, he died in the Mint at Southwark, where he had taken refuge from his creditors… Go to person page >

Text Information

Text Information
Lectionary Weeks
Scripture References

First Line:	While shepherds watched their flocks by night, All seated on the ground
Title:	While shepherds watched their flocks
Author:	Nahum Tate (1700)
Meter:	8.6.8.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain
Liturgical Use:	Scripture Songs

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Luke 2:8-9
st. 2 = Luke 2:9-10
st. 3 = Luke 2:11-12
st. 4 = Luke 2:12
st. 5 = Luke 2:13
st. 6 = Luke 2:14

The story of the shepherds and the angels is told in this famous paraphrase of Luke 2:8-14 by Nahum Tate (b. Dublin, Ireland, 1652; d. Southwark, London, England, 1715). It was first published in 1700 in a supplement to the New Version of the Psalms by Tate and Nicholas Brady. Tate's straightforward telling of the nativity story is an example of paraphrasing at its best: poetry that conveys the text well without undue liberties or additions and is easy to understand and sing. Adopted by virtually all hymnals since its writing, this narrative song simply tells the Christmas gospel as the shepherds heard it. A similarly narrative song based on the same gospel text is at 339.

Although born in Ireland, Tate spent all of his adult life in London, where he was known primarily as a playwright and poet. Most of his dramas were not original plays but adaptations of the works of others. Honored by being named poet laureate in 1692, Tate wrote poetry celebrating important national events. He was also appointed the official royal historian in 1702. Intemperate throughout his life, Tate died while living at the Suffolk House, a refuge for debtors in London, In the history of church music Tate and Brady are known for their New Version (1696), which replaced the "Old Version" of Sternhold and Hopkins published by John Day in 1562. Reprinted frequently and supplemented with some hymns, the new versification became the standard psalter of the Church of England and influenced psalmody well into the nineteenth century.

Liturgical Use:
Christmas; stanza 5 makes an excellent doxology for the two Sundays following Christmas.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

==========================

While shepherds watched their flocks by night. N. Tate. [Christmas.] Appeared in the Supplement to the New Version, in 1702, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and in all later editions of the same. In full, or in an abbreviated form, it is found in most hymn-books in English-speaking countries. Original text in the Hymnal Companion. In addition to the original, two additional versions are in common use:—
1. While humble Shepherds watched their flocks. This was given in the 1745 Draft of the Scottish Translations and Paraphrases, the opening stanza reading:—

"While humble Shepherds watch'd their Flocks
in Bethleh'ms Plains by Night,
An Angel sent from Heav'n appear'd
and fill'd the Plains with Light."

The alterations were confined to this stanza. On its adoption in the revised Draft of 1751, and again in the authorized issue of the Translations and Paraphrases, 1781, the concluding lines of the last stanza read:—

Goodwill is shewn by Heav'n to men,
and never more shall cease."

This arrangement of the text has been in common use for more than 100 years.
2. On Judah's plains as Shepherds kept. This is found in one or two American collections only.
The original has been translated into several languages. Those in Latin include; (1) "Pastorum in pecudes noctu vigilante catervâ," by Lord Lyttelton, 1866; and (2) "Noctivagos. acclinis humo, pastoria pubes," by C. S. Calverley, both in L. C. Biggs's annotated edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1867; (3) "Oves dum custodientes," by R. Bingham, in his Hymnologia Christiana Latina, 1871; and (4) "Pro grege Pastores vigilabant nocte silenti," by Bishop Wordsworth (St. Andrews) in his Series Collectarum, &c, 1890.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

CHRISTMAS (Handel)

The tune is based on the the beginning of the soprano aria "Non vi piacque ingiusti dei" from the opera "Siroe"

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WINCHESTER OLD

WINCHESTER OLD is a famous common-meter psalm tune, presumably arranged by George Kirbye (b. Suffolk, England, c. 1560; d. Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, 1634) from a melody in Christopher Tye's Acts of the Apostles and published in T. Este's The Whole Book of Psalmes (1592) set to Psalm 84. Ki…

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This rendering of the shepherds' story from Luke 2 is based directly on the account as given in the King James Version of the Bible. Nahum Tate versified it in 1700 and included a few extra details to accentuate some of the facts. While Luke wrote only that Christ was born "in the city of David" (Luke 2:11), Tate emphasized Christ's title "Son of David" in the third stanza – "in David's town … of David's line." The public ministry of Jesus is also foreshadowed in the fourth stanza; where Luke wrote "Ye shall find the babe" (Luke 2:12), Tate wrote "The heavenly babe you there shall find to human view displayed."

Text:

This paraphrase of the story of the shepherds and angels from Luke 2 first appeared in A Supplement to the New Version of Psalms by Nicholas Brady and Nahum Tate in 1700. It is usually ascribed solely to Tate, though it may have been written as a collaboration.

There are six stanzas, but some hymnals omit the fifth ("Thus spake the seraph and forthwith"). The first and fifth stanzas, as well as the first half of the second, are narrative and describe the appearance of the first angel and then of the host of angels. A paraphrase of the first angel's speech to the shepherds takes up the second, third, and fourth stanzas. The sixth is a doxological version of the song of the host of angels, with some variance in the wording of the second half between different hymnals.

Tune:

Tate and Brady indicated that their text was to be sung to ST. JAMES, though this recommendation has been ignored. Many old American hymnals used SHERBURNE, but that has also fallen into disuse. Two tunes are commonly used with this text – often both in the same hymnal: WINCHESTER OLD and CHRISTMAS.

When this text is sung to CHRISTMAS, the last line of each stanza must be repeated for the text to fit the music. This tune is also named SIROË because it was adapted from an aria in the 1728 opera Siroë by George F. Handel. This melody was first published as a hymn tune in S. Arnold and J. W. Callott's The Psalms of David for the use of Parish Churches in 1791.

WINCHESTER OLD most likely was adapted by George Kirby in 1592 from Christopher Tye's Acts of the Apostles of 1553, and was published with Psalm 84 in Thomas East's Whole Booke of Psalmes, where it was named SUFFOLK. In Thomas Ravenscroft's 1621 Whole Booke of Psalms, it was named WINCHESTER, after an English cathedral, even though that place had nothing to do with the composition of the tune. Nevertheless, the name has persisted ever since, and it became WINCHESTER OLD to distinguish it from WINCHESTER NEW by Bartholomäus Crasselius.

When/Why/How:

This hymn is a well-known Christmas song, and can be sung in narrative fashion, with a soloist or group singing the narration, another soloist representing the first angel, and the entire assembly joining on the final stanza to represent the host of angels. The third carol medley in "Follow the Star, Follow the King" features a combination of Tate's hymn set to WINCHESTER OLD with two other Christmas hymns in a narrative function. "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" is a sprightly and varied handbell setting of CHRISTMAS. Through five stanzas, different musical techniques are used to keep the tune interesting.

Tiffany Shomsky,
Hymnary.org

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Timeline

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Instances

Instances (1 - 89 of 89)

Ambassador Hymnal #35

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: 87 87 6 Date: 1994 Subject: Christmas | ; Jesus Christ | Birth

Ancient and Modern #89a

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate (1652-1715) Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 Date: 2013 Subject: Angels | ; Children and All-Age Worship | ; Christmas | ; Christmas Day | ; Church Year | Christmas

Ancient and Modern #89b

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CRANBROOK Author: Nahum Tate (1652-1715) Meter: Irregular Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 Date: 2013 Subject: Angels | ; Children and All-Age Worship | ; Christmas | ; Christmas Day | ; Church Year | Christmas

Baptist Hymnal 2008 #203

Celebrating Grace Hymnal #123

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-16 Date: 2010 Subject: Christian Year-Christmastide | ; God the Son | Christmastide; Peace |

Chalice Hymnal #154

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1995 Subject: Christian Year: Christmas | ; God Known in Jesus Christ | Birth; Jesus Christ | ; Jesus Christ: Birth |

Christian Worship #336

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1714 Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 2021 Subject: Christmas |

Christmas Favorites #15

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: [While shepherds watched their flocks by night] Date: 2000

Christmas Favorites #16

Common Praise (1998) #136

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate (1652-1715) Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:1-20 Date: 1998 Subject: Christmas | ; Epiphany |

Common Praise #76

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 2000 Subject: Chirstimas Midnight | ; Christmas |

Complete Mission Praise #764

Display Title: While shepherds watched First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Date: 1999 Subject: Seasons of the Christian Year | Advent and Christmas

Glory to God #117

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14; Romans 1:3 Date: 2013 Subject: Christian Year | Epiphany; Christian Year | Nativity/Christmas; Jesus Christ | Birth

Glory to God #118

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: CM with repeat Scripture: Luke 2:8-14; Romans 1:3 Date: 2013 Subject: Christian Year | Epiphany; Christian Year | Nativity/Christmas; Jesus Christ | Birth

Hymnal #196

Display Title: While shepherds watched First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate Date: 1992 Source: A Supplement to the New Version of the Psalms, 1700

Hymns for a Pilgrim People #114

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM with Repeat Scripture: Luke 2:11 Date: 2007 Subject: Christmas | ; Jesus Christ | ; Shepherd |

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #94

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: N. Tate (1652-1715) Meter: 8 6 8 6 (CM) Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1987 Subject: Christmas 1 | The Incarnation; God, Saviour | Born (Christmas Seasonal)

Hymns of Faith #135

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: [While shepherds watched their flocks by night] Author: Nahum Tate Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1980 Subject: Christ | Advent and Birth

Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #305

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: 86 86 6 Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 2012 Subject: The Liturgical Year | Christmas (Days of)

Lutheran Worship #70

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM D Date: 1982 Subject: Christmas |

Moravian Book of Worship #296

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: C.M. Scripture: Matthew 1:23; Luke 2:8-15 Date: 1995 Subject: Christian year--Christmas | ; Christmas |

One in Faith #372

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 2015 Subject: Christmas |

Rejoice Hymns #216

Display Title: While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: 8.6.8.6.(C.M.) with Repeat Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 2011 Subject: Christmas |

Rejoice in the Lord #199

Rejoice in the Lord #200

Sing Glory #367

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Meter: CM Date: 1999

Sing Joyfully #197

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: [While shepherds watched their flocks by night] Author: Nahum Tate Date: 1989 Subject: Jesus Christ | Birth; Scripture Songs |

Singing the Faith #221

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-20; John 1:1-14 Date: 2011 Subject: The Incarnate Christ: Christmas |

The Book of Praise #138

Display Title: While shepherds watched First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: 8 6 8 6 CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1997 Subject: Church Year | Christmas; Descants and Fauxbourdons | ; Hymns with Doxologies | ; Jesus Christ | Redeemer and Savior

The Covenant Hymnal #156

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: C.M. Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1996 Subject: Christmas | Birth

The Cyber Hymnal #7657

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Source: First appeared in Tate & Brady's Psalter, 1702

The Hymnal 1982 #94

The Hymnal 1982 #95

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: HAMPTON (Robinson) Author: Nahum Tate, 1625-1715 Meter: CM Date: 1985

The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #340

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-15 Date: 2004 Subject: Jesus Christ | His Birth Source: Adapt.: Compilers of Praise!, 2000; Paraphrase 37

The New English Hymnal #42

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Date: 1986 Subject: The Christian Year | Christmas

The Sacred Harp #98

Display Title: Glory Shone Around First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: GLORY SHONE AROUND Date: 2012 Source: New Version, 1696

The Sacred Harp #186

Display Title: While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night Tune Title: SHERBURNE Author: Nahum Tate Meter: C.M. Date: 1991

The Sacred Harp #461

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: SHINING STAR Author: Nahum Tate; William Billings Meter: C.M.D. Date: 1991

The United Methodist Hymnal #236

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1989 Subject: Biblical Narrative | ; Christ's Gracious Life | Birth and Baptism; Christian Year | Christmas; Christian Year | Epiphany; Jesus Christ | ; Service Music | Doxology

The United Methodist Hymnal #236b

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1989 Subject: Christ's Gracious Life | Birth and Baptism; Christian Year | Christmas; Christian Year | Epiphany

Timeless Truths #492

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: 8.6.8.6.6 Scripture: Luke 2:8-9 Source: Timeless Truths (http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/While_Shepherds_Watched_Their_Flocks)

Together in Song #299

Display Title: While shepherds watched their flocks by night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: 86.86 Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1999 Subject: Christmas | ; Christmas Eve | ; Jesus Christ | Incarnation

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #222

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #223

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: C.M.rep. Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1990 Subject: Christ | Messiah; Christ | Son of David

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #310

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: C.M.rep. Scripture: Luke 2:7-20 Date: 2018 Subject: Angels | ; Christ | As Messiah; Christ | As Son of David; Christ | Birth of; Peace |

Voices Together #253

Voices United #75

Worship (3rd ed.) #382

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: WINCHESTER OLD Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: CM Scripture: Luke 2:8-14 Date: 1986 Subject: Christmas | ; Christmas Season |

Worship and Rejoice #228

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate, 1652-1715 Meter: C.M. Scripture: Luke 2:8-14; John 1:14; Philippians 2:1-11 Date: 2003

Worship in Song #97

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: CHRISTMAS Author: Nahum Tate Meter: 8.6.8.6. Scripture: Luke 2:8-16 Date: 1996 Subject: Angels | ; Children | ; Christmas | ; Nativity | ; Peace | ; Story of Jesus |

Yes, Lord! #209

Display Title: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night First Line: While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tune Title: [While shepherds watched their flocks by night] Author: Nahum Tate Date: 1982 Subject: Christmas |

Include 953 pre-1979 instances

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