Northfield Hymnal ‎#54

54. In the Field with Their Flocks

1 In the field with their flocks abiding,
They lay on the dewy ground;
And glimmering under the starlight,
The sheep lay white around,
When the light of the Lord streamed o’er them,
And lo! from the heaven above,
An angel leaned from the glory,
And sang his song of love:—
He sang, that first sweet Christmas,
The song that shall never cease.

Refrain:
“Glory to God in the highest,
On earth good will and peace.”

2 “To you in the City of David
A Saviour is born today!”
And sudden a host of the heav’nly ones
Flash’d forth to join the lay!
O never hath sweeter message
Thrill’d home to the souls of men
And the heav’ns themselves had never heard
A gladder choir till then,
For they sang that Christmas carol,
That never on earth shall cease. [Refrain]

3 And the shepherds came to the manger,
And gaz’d on the Holy Child;
And calmly o’er that rude cradle
The Virgin Mother smil’d;
And the sky, in the starlit silence,
Seem’d full of the angel lay;
“To you in the City of David
A Saviour is born today;”
O they sang—and I ween that never
The carol on earth shall cease. [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: In the field with their flocks abiding
• Title: In the Field with Their Flocks
• Author: F. W. Farrar
• Refrain First Line: He sang that first sweet Christmas
• Publication Date: 1904
• Topic: Christmas

Tune Information

• Name: [In the field with their flocks abiding]
• Composer: J. Farmer
• Key: G Major