Come, You Faithful

Come, You Faithful

Text written by John of Damascus, 8th century, and translated by John M. Neale (1818-1866)

Sung to the hymn tune AVE VIRGO VIRGINUM from Leisentritt's Gesangbuch, 1584

Now is a good opportunity to suggest that as you sing a hymn, you note the punctuation in the text and try breathing where there is a punctuation mark instead of breathing where you're used to breathing (usually in the middle of a line of text).  Singing is as much about the words as it is about the music, and the words should make sense.  Read the hymn verses below and noticed how many lines don't have a punctuation mark at the end.  So you might sing the first two lines of the song like this: Come, you faithful, [breath] raise the strain [no breath] Of triumphant gladness.  See how the words have more meaning when you sing them the way you would read them?  I really try to follow the punctuation marks and make the verse make sense when I sing a hymn.  Note: If you are a church pianist or organist, following the words and phrasing the music according to the punctuation is a good idea. You can help educate your congregation in this aspect of worship!

Exodus 14:22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the 

dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and 

on their left.

V. 1 Come, you faithful, raise the strain

Of triumphant gladness;

God has brought His Israel

Into joy from sadness;

Loosed from Pharoah's bitter yoke

Jacob's sons and daughters;

Led them with unmoistened foot

Through the Red Sea waters.

1 Corinthians 15:4 ...and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures....

V. 2 'Tis the spring of souls today;

Christ has burst His prison, 

And from three days' sleep in death

As a sun has risen;

All the winter of our sins,

Long and dark, is flying

From His light, to whom is giv'n

Laud and praise undying.

V. 3 Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts,
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to gladden faithful hearts
Which with true affection
Welcome in unwearied strain
Jesus' resurrection.

John 20:19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." 

V. 4 For today among the twelve

Christ appeared, bestowing

His deep peace, which evermore

Passes human knowing.

Neither could the gates of death,

Nor the tomb's dark portal,

Nor the watchers, nor the seal,

Hold Him as a mortal.

Revelation 19:6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns".

V. 5 "Alleluia!" 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.