The words in Handel's Messiah are taken from the Bible and tell the story of the prophecy, birth, suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. The sheep reference is from Isaiah 53:6 http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Isa/Isa053.html#top

Handel's dates were 1685 to 1759, so early to mid eighteenth century rather than late eighteenth century. For more information see http://www.intr.net/bleissa/handel/home.html

Bingley


Bingley