as shepherds watched their flocks by night lyrics

For over a hundred years, the Church of England had been exclusively singing psalms for corporate worship, and this “new version” made a freer paraphrase of the psalms. In collaboration with Nicholas Brady, a high-profile clergyman and royal chaplain, Tate produced A New Version of the Psalms of David (1696). Tate’s next major literary contribution was for the Church of England. His contributions to the arts were so significant that in 1692, Tate was named poet laureate of England he held this position for 22 years, serving during the dual reign of William and Mary (1689-1694), the sole reign of William (1694-1702) and the subsequent reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714). Tate continued to write plays and even wrote the words for a successful opera, Dido and Aeneas (1689). For 150 years, audiences preferred Tate’s version to the original Shakespearean tragedy. His version of King Lear, with a happy ending, was remarkably successful.

Though his first few plays were not successful, he found a treasure when he began reworking some of Shakespeare’s neglected plays. He began writing plays the following year. He moved to London and published his first book of poems in 1677. However, after graduating from Trinity College in Dublin in 1672, Tate decided to pursue a literary career. Both of his grandfathers were clergymen as well. Nahum Tate, the author of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks,” was the son of an Irish Protestant clergyman named, literally, Faithful Teate (Nahum altered his last name to Tate).

History of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks”:

As shepherds watched their flocks by night lyrics