The Shepherd's Song

Alternate Title: Shepherds Five In A Ring

Words: Bishop Stubbs

Music: T. T. Noble
MIDI / Npteworthy Composer / PDF

Source: Carol #433, Rev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916)

1. Shepherds five in a ring,
Ave Jesus! We sing
Of a marvelous thing,
Of a Babe crowned King.
For aloft in the height
Of this same ender night
Choiring angels abrayde
Singing “Be not afraid,
For to yon be it known
That He comes to His own,
Bringing peace on earth
And good will by this birth,
On Christmas Day, On Christmas Day,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

2. Oh the moon it shown bright,
And the stars were alight,
And a chorus of sound
Made the welkin resound,
And our sheep stood agaze,
For the hills were ablaze
With a glory of light
Like the sun at midnight,
And we said, "Let us go
Unto Bethlehem now
For to see if 'tis so
As the angels did vow,
And good will by this birth,
On Christmas Day, On Christmas Day,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

3. And indeed there He lay
In a crib full of hay,
With the ox and the ass,
Sorry courtiers, alas!
But the King had for throne
Mother's dear lap alone,
And for royal array
The blue robe of Maid May.
So let's fall on our knees,
If it so be yon please,
For to worship our King
And His praises to sing,
And good will by this birth,
On Christmas Day, On Christmas Day,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Sheet Music from Charles L. Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916)

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