Scripture Verse

Rejoice, O nations, with His people, and let all the angels worship Him. Deuteronomy 32:43

Introduction

portrait
J. Athelstan Riley (1858–1945)

Words: J. Ath­el­stan Ri­ley, in The Eng­lish Hym­nal (Lon­don: Ox­ford Uni­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 519.

Music: Lasst uns er­freu­en Auss­er­le­se­ne ca­thol­ische geist­liche Kirch­en­ge­säng (Co­logne, Ger­ma­ny: Pe­ter von Bra­chel, 1623). Har­mo­ny by Ralph Vaugh­an Will­iams in The Eng­lish Hym­nal (Lon­don: Ox­ford Uni­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 519 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Ralph Vaughan Williams
(1872–1958)

Lyrics

Ye watch­ers and ye ho­ly ones,
Bright se­raphs, che­ru­bim and thrones,
Raise the glad strain, Al­le­lu­ia!
Cry out, do­min­ions, prince­doms, pow­ers,
Virtues, arch­an­gels, an­gels’ choirs:

Refrain

Alleluia! Al­le­lu­ia!
Alleluia! Al­le­lu­ia!
Alleluia!

O high­er than the che­ru­bim,
More glo­ri­ous than the se­ra­phim,
Lead their prais­es, Al­le­lu­ia!
Thou bear­er of th’eter­nal Word,
Most gra­cious, mag­ni­fy the Lord.

Refrain

Respond, ye souls in end­less rest,
Ye pa­tri­archs and pro­phets blest,
Alleluia! Al­le­lu­ia!
Ye ho­ly twelve, ye mar­tyrs strong,
All saints tri­um­phant, raise the song.

Refrain

O friends, in glad­ness let us sing,
Supernal an­thems ec­ho­ing,
Alleluia! All­el­uia!
To God the Fa­ther, God the Son,
And God the Spir­it, Three in One.

Refrain