Two other tunes Martyrdom and Shackelford-both from the 1880s-are less commonly associated with While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks. Handel aria arranged by Lowell Mason (United States). The carol is most commonly sung to Winchester Old (United Kingdom) and an arrangement of a George F. This persisted until the end of the 18th century as Christianity moved to the wider culture of the unchurched (folk, commoners, seculars and the slave community) in revivals such as those in the Great Awakening.
Therefore, they were considered commoner’s secular music, insufficiently holy to be used in church services. The reason for that is many carols (like some of the French ones we’ve seen) had their roots in folk music. Therefore, this work was included in a supplement to New Version of the Psalms of David (1696) and became the only Christmas hymn permitted to be sung in addition to the Psalms. In the Church of England at the time of this carol, only the Psalms of David were permitted to be sung. 12 “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”ĭo you see how the angels pointed to Jesus? They succeeded in the most important way possible: showing the Way, the Truth, and the Life even though at the time, He was but a baby in a manger. 11 “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Luke 2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. For many of us, our legacy won’t be a hymn or carol it won’t even be money or property of any kind, but rather our legacy will be in the lives we touched with the Gospel message that the angels proclaimed! Perhaps it’s a good time to revisit our own ideas of what it means to be a success.
Of the many works with which Tate was involved, this time in collaboration with Nicholas Brady, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks is really the only one to endure and appear in our present-day hymnals at all. Tate, in spite of his continual striving for public favor, ended his years fleeing from his creditors. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks was versified by Irishman Nahum Tate, a hymn writer and Poet Laureate. Seriously, shepherds? (That might have been the popular reaction at the time.) You’ve got the birth announcement of royalty-the King of Kings-being announced… to shepherds? (Insert hysterical laughter here.) One of the great surprises of the Christmas story is that it was announced to shepherds who were considered the dregs of society. Today in Carol Me, Christmas (2014 Advent Devotional Series) we continue our look at the angels communicating the good news of great joy to the shepherds. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (Advent 10-2014)