Scripture Verse

The Lord is risen. Luke 24:34

Introduction

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Friedrich Spee
1591–1635

Words: Fried­rich Spee, 1623 (Die ganze Welt, Herr Je­su Christ). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Per­cy Dear­mer, 1924.

Music: Hi­la­ri­ter, me­lo­dy from the Köln­ische Ge­sang­buch, 1623; har­mo­nized by George R. Wood­ward (1848–1934). Ap­peared in Car­ols Old and Car­ols New, ed­it­ed by Charles L. Hutch­ins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: The Par­ish Choir, 1916), num­ber 317 (🔊 pdf nwc). Hi­la­ri­ter (here pro­nounced hi-lair-i-tair) is La­tin for joy­ful­ly.

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Percy Dearmer
1867–1936

Lyrics

The whole bright world rejoices now,
Hilariter, hilariter!
The birds do sing on every bough,
Alleluia, alleluia!

Then shout beneath the racing skies,
Hilariter, hilariter!
To Him who rose that we might rise,
Alleluia, alleluia!

And all you living things make praise,
Hilariter, hilariter!
He guideth you on all your ways,
Alleluia, alleluia!

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—
Hilariter, hilariter!
Our God most high, our joy and boast.
Alleluia, alleluia!