Shepherds, What Joyful Tidings

Shepherds

what joy­ful tid­ings

Have made you sing and play?

Long have we been await­ing

The Lamb that came to­day.

Cherubim

se­ra­phim sang to us mer­ri­ly

Fear not

but hur­ry ye over to Beth­le­hem.

When they drew near the sta­ble

They saw the new­born Child

Lain on straw in the man­ger

Like lamb on up­land wild

Tearful His ti­ny lids wa­vered with shud­der­ing;

Cold was the wel­come they gave Him in Beth­le­hem.

Sweetly He slept and slum­bered

In Ma­ry’s arms so mild

Shepherds hum­bly ad­ored Him

And Mary then re­plied

Back to your fold

car­ry peace and tran­quil­ity;

My lit­tle Son gives you peace and love ev­er­more.