This edition was prepared by Nikolaus Hold — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
In the country nigh to Bethlehem
Staff Notation • Secular, Christmas
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In the country nigh to Bethlehem by Gertrude Hine — Lyrics
1 In the country nigh to Bethlehem
On a starry night of old,
There were in the fields abiding,
Shepherds with their flocks in fold.
Round the flocks the faithful shepherds
Kept their watch from eve till morn,
Lest their sheep, so weak and helpless,
Should by evil beasts be torn.
2 Haply, through their long nightwatches,
They made hill and valley ring
With the songs of holy gladness
Which King David used to sing.
Songs of praise to God their shepherd,
Who defended them from ill,
And their weary, wandering footsteps
Guided to the waters still.
3 As they watched, a burst of glory
Shone around them from above,
And a mighty glorious angel
Calmed their fears with words of love:
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About In the country nigh to Bethlehem
In the country nigh to Bethlehem is a secular Christmas piece for SATB choir, sung in English. It sets a narrative text that begins with shepherds keeping watch over their flocks on a starry night near Bethlehem, a scene familiar from the Nativity story. The lyrics describe their devotion and their singing of psalms, evoking a sense of peace and faith. The music likely complements the imagery of the night and the eventual appearance of an angel, creating a reflective and devotional atmosphere suitable for the Christmas season.
