A Band of Herdsmen Tarried Late

A band of herds­men tar­ried late

Through hours of night dis­con­so­late;

Around

the snow lay glist­en­ing white

And stars o’er­head were shin­ing bright;

O fa­vored shep­herds

there shall rise

A bright­er star in yon­der skies.

Whence comes this glo­ry

bright­er far

Than light that shines from mid­night star?

An an­gel from the Lord ap­pears

And lo! their minds are filled with fears;

O fa­vored sheph­erds

where­fore fear?

The mes­sen­ger of God is here.

O band of herds­men

list! I bring

Glad tid­ings of a pro­mised king;

Go

in a man­ger ye shall find

The new-born Sav­ior of man­kind;

O fa­vored shep­herds

such sur­prise!

To see the Christ in mean dis­guise.

Then stood the herds­men all amaze

For heav­en with glo­ry was ablaze;

And choirs of an­gels

clad in white

Awoke with song the si­lent night;

O fa­vored shep­herds

ye were blest

To hear that heav’n­ly song ex­pressed.

To God be glo­ry

thus they sang

While earth and Heav’n with mu­sic rang;

And peace ab­ound­ing hence­forth dwell

With those on earth who please Me well;

O fa­vored shep­herds

night is past

And morn

bright morn

is come at last.

O band of herds­men

long ago

That song was sung on earth be­low

Now my­ri­ad hosts up­lift the strains

That first awoke on Beth­le’m’s plains;

O fa­vored shep­herds

round the throne

The an­gel’s song is now your own.