YE SIMPLE MEN OF HEARTS SINCERE

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns for the Na­ti­vi­ty of Our Lord (Lon­don: Will­iam Stra­han, 1745), num­ber 1.

Music: Duke Street, at­trib­ut­ed to John Hat­ton, 1793 (MI­DI, score). Al­ter­nate tunes:

If you have ac­cess to a pic­ture of John Hat­ton that we could put on­line, please click here.


Ye simple men of heart sincere,
Shepherds who watch your flocks by night,
Start not to see an angel near,
Nor tremble at this glorious light.

“A herald from the heavenly King,
I come, your every fear to chase;
Good tidings of great joy I bring,
Great joy to all the fallen race.

“To you is born on this glad day,
A Savior by our host adored;
Our God in Bethlehem survey,
Make haste to worship Christ the Lord.

“By this the Savior of mankind,
Th’incarnate God shall be displayed;
The Babe ye wrapped in swaths shall find,
And humbly in a manger laid.”