Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
General information
Lyricists: St. John of Damascus (8th century);
- Translation by John Mason Neale , 1853
Settings by composers
- Edward Vine Hal SATB, with S or T solo ((vv.1-3 & 5)
- Jan Roh Unison ((vv.1-3 & 5)
- Thurlow Weed SATB (vv.1-4)
Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above
- Arthur Henry Brown — Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
- Bruce Steane — The first day of the week
- Arthur Sullivan — Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
Texts and Translations
English text
1 Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness;
God hath brought his Israel
Into joy from sadness;
Loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke
Jacob's sons and daughters;
Led them with unmoistened foot
through the Red Sea waters.
2 'Tis the spring of souls today;
Christ hath burst His prison,
And from three days' sleep in death,
As a sun hath risen;
All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From His light, to whom we give
Laud and praise undying.
3 Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day of splendour,
With the royal feast of feasts,
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem,
Who with true affection
Welcomes in unwearied strains
Jesu's resurrection.
4 Neither might the gates of death,
Nor the tomb's dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal
Hold thee as a mortal:
But today amidst the twelve
Thou didst stand, bestowing
That Thy peace, which evermore
Passeth human knowing.
5 Alleuia! now we cry
To our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars
Of the tomb's dark portal;
Alleluia! with the Son,
God the Father praising;
Alleluia! yet again
To the Spirit raising.