Nahum Tate (1652 - 1715) was a poet, hymnist, and playwright born in Dublin, Ireland. He studied at Trinity College then moved to London, where he built a quite successful career writing adaptations of other people's plays--in particular, rewriting Shakespeare’s tragedies to have happy endings. Nahum was also very successful as a lyricist, collaborating with his friend, composer Nicholas Brady. Together they created a number of hymns, including this one, which was the only Christmas hymn authorized to be sung by the Angligan church and which has been included in virtually all hymnals since it was first written. Nahum served as poet laureate of England during the reign of William and Mary, but a lack of self-control led to an increasingly unpleasant life and he died a debtor and a drunk in 1715.