{"slug": "while-shepherds-watched-their-flocks", "title": "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks", "first_line": "While shepherds watched their flocks by night", "author": "nahum-tate", "author_date": "1700", "foot": "iambic", "meter": {"pattern": [8, 6, 8, 6], "doubled": false, "refrain": false, "alleluia": false, "irregular": false}, "topics": ["Christmas", "Nativity", "Angels"], "scripture": ["Luke 2:8-14"], "provenance": {"layer": "text", "source": "cyberhymnal", "source_kind": "open_encoding", "pd_basis": "pub_pre_1931", "pd_evidence": "Nahum Tate (1652\u20131715), \"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks,\" first published in A Supplement to the New Version of the Psalms of David (London, 1700); a paraphrase of Luke 2:8\u201314. Long in the public domain. All components pre-1931.", "pd_jurisdictions": {"US": true}}, "stanzas": {"1": {"syllabified": "While shep -- herds watched their flocks by night, All seat -- ed on the ground, The an -- gel of the Lord came down, And glo -- ry shone a -- round.", "prose": ["While shepherds watched their flocks by night,", "All seated on the ground,", "The angel of the Lord came down,", "And glory shone around."]}, "2": {"syllabified": "\"Fear not,\" said he, for might -- y dread Had seized their trou -- bled mind; \"Glad tid -- ings of great joy I bring To you and all man -- kind:", "prose": ["\"Fear not,\" said he, for mighty dread", "Had seized their troubled mind;", "\"Glad tidings of great joy I bring", "To you and all mankind:"]}, "3": {"syllabified": "\"To you, in Da -- vid's town, this day Is born of Da -- vid's line A Sav -- ior, who is Christ the Lord; And this shall be the sign:", "prose": ["\"To you, in David's town, this day", "Is born of David's line", "A Savior, who is Christ the Lord;", "And this shall be the sign:"]}, "4": {"syllabified": "\"The heav'n -- ly Babe you there shall find To hu -- man view dis -- played, All mean -- ly wrapped in swath -- ing bands, And in a man -- ger laid.\"", "prose": ["\"The heav'nly Babe you there shall find", "To human view displayed,", "All meanly wrapped in swathing bands,", "And in a manger laid.\""]}, "5": {"syllabified": "Thus spake the ser -- aph, and forth -- with Ap -- peared a shin -- ing throng Of an -- gels prais -- ing God, who thus Ad -- dressed their joy -- ful song:", "prose": ["Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith", "Appeared a shining throng", "Of angels praising God, who thus", "Addressed their joyful song:"]}, "6": {"syllabified": "\"All glo -- ry be to God on high, And to the earth be peace; Good will hence -- forth from Heav'n to men Be -- gin and nev -- er cease.\"", "prose": ["\"All glory be to God on high,", "And to the earth be peace;", "Good will henceforth from Heav'n to men", "Begin and never cease.\""]}}, "license": "The hymn texts and tunes are in the public domain; per-layer provenance is recorded on each record."}