While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night is a hymn text by Nahum Tate (1702) in C.M. meter. Found in CW21 336, ELH 147, bh08 184, ch95 154. Sung to WINCHESTER OLD.

The hymn emphasizes the incarnational good news announced to humble shepherds, reflecting Lutheran conviction that Christ's birth brings salvation to all people regardless of social status. It celebrates the objective historical fact of Christ's birth while evoking the joy of Gospel proclamation central to Lutheran worship.

History & Background

Nahum Tate published this hymn in his 1702 collection 'Psalms Done into Verse,' where it appeared as a supplement to the Psalter. It became one of the most enduring English Christmas hymns and has been included in Lutheran hymnals since the 19th century.

The story of the shepherds and the angels is told in this famous Scripture References paraphrase of Luke 2:8-14 by Nahum Tate (b. Dublin, Ireland, st. 1 = Luke 2:8-9 1652; d. Southwark, London, England, 1715). It was first pub­ st. 2 = Luke 2:9-10 lished in 1700 in a supplement to the New Version of the PsalmsVy st. 3 = Luke 2:11-12 Tate and Nicholas Brady. Tate’s straightforward telling of the st. 4 = Luke 2:12 nativity story is an example of paraphrasing at its best: poetry st. 5 = Luke 2:13 that conveys the text well without undue liberties or additions st. 6 = Luke 2:14 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 byJohn 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. 350 BIBLE SONGS

Hymnal Appearances

• Christian Worship: Hymnal — 336
• Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 147
• Baptist Hymnal — 184
• Chalice Hymnal — 154
• Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 282
• Glory to God — 119
• The Hymnal 1982 — 94
• Lutheran Book of Worship — 23
• Lutheran Service Book — 370
• Lift Up Your Hearts — 76
• Lutheran Worship — 70
• New Century Hymnal — 131
• Trinity Hymnal — 214
• The Lutheran Hymnal — 109
• United Methodist Hymnal — 236
• Voices Together — 238

Liturgical Use

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

Bulletin Note

Written by Nahum Tate in 1702, this carol transforms Luke's nativity account into congregational song. Tate emphasizes the shepherds' lowly estate to highlight Christ's incarnational solidarity with the marginalized and forgotten.

Preaching Connection

This hymn embodies pure Gospel: the angel announces Christ's saving birth to humble shepherds without condition or demand, perfectly capturing how grace meets us in our fear and unworthiness.

Stanza Arc

The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From Law (fear and dread) to Gospel (glad tidings, peace, and God's grace revealed in Christ's birth)

Background Research

Nahum Tate (1652–1715), Poet Laureate, co-author with Nicholas Brady of the New Version of the Psalms (1696). This was in their Supplement (1700), titled 'Song of the Angels at the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour'; Tate wrote 'Whilst'. For much of the 18th century it was the only Christmas hymn the Church of England authorized (alongside the metrical psalms and a few others), which made it ubiquitous. It is a close paraphrase of Luke 2:8–14, and that closeness to Scripture is why it was allowed. Tunes: WINCHESTER OLD (from Este's psalter 1592, after Tye 1553) in Britain; CHRISTMAS (Lowell Mason 1821, from Handel's opera Siroe, 1728) in the US; CRANBROOK (Thomas Clark 1805, now the tune of 'On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at'); SHERBURNE (Read 1785). Plus a whole folk-carol world of regional tunes in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Cornwall ('Shaw Lane', 'Sweet Chiming Bells', 'Lyngham'). British schoolchildren's parodies ('while shepherds washed their socks') are a tradition of their own.

Sources: Wikipedia 'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks'.

Overview

Nahum Tate, English Poet Laureate and co-author with Nicholas Brady of the New Version of the Psalms, wrote this close paraphrase of Luke 2:8-14. It appeared in the 1700 supplement to that psalter and was for a long time one of the very few non-psalm hymns authorized in the Church of England. TLH uses it in three double stanzas: the angel appears and says 'Fear not' (st. 1), announces the Savior born in David's town and the sign of the manger (st. 2), and the heavenly host sings 'All glory be to God on high' (st. 3). It stays close to the words of Scripture.

Central theme: The angel's announcement of the Savior's birth and the heavenly host's song, closely following Luke 2

Structure

Three eight-line stanzas (common meter doubled). The angel's appearance (1) — the message and sign (2) — the Gloria (3).

Law & Gospel Shape

Gospel: 'Glad tidings of great joy… to you and all mankind'; 'a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.' 'Mighty dread' (1) gives way to joy.

Confessional Connections

'A Savior, who is Christ the Lord' — the Child's office and deity (AC III). 'To you and all mankind' — universal grace (FC XI.28). The sign — a baby 'meanly wrapped' — God reveals himself hidden in lowliness (theology of the cross). The Gloria in Excelsis of the angels became the Church's Gloria in the Divine Service.

Liturgical Use (Study Notes)

Christmas Eve; Christmas Day.

Historical Notes

Tate (1652-1715) published it in the Supplement to the New Version of the Psalms (1700).

About the Tune

TLH: BETHLEHEM (Gottfried W. Fink, 1842). Row 1874 lists WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED.

Scripture References

Luke 2:8-14 Luke 2:11 Isa 9:6 Mic 5:2 Luke 2:12 Phil 2:7

Stanza by Stanza

Themes

Nativity of Christ Angelic proclamation Joy and peace Gospel proclamation Shepherds as witnesses

Look Further

• Search Hymnary.org for "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night" ↗
• Search IMSLP for public-domain scores of "WINCHESTER OLD" ↗