A Poor Brother's Hymnal
Monday, October 15, 2007
  Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head." Genesis 3:15

Words: Fulbert of Chartres (?-1082) (Chorus novae Ierusalem);

Robert Campbell Translation
John Mason Neale Translation

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn
In strains of holy joy.

For Judah's Lion bursts His chains,
Crushing the serpent's head;
And cries aloud through death's domains
To wake the imprisoned dead.

Devouring depths of hell their prey
At His command restore;
His ransomed hosts pursue their way
Where Jesus goes before.

Triumphant in His glory now
To Him all power is given;
To Him in one communion bow
All saints in earth and heaven.

While we, His soldiers, praise our King,
His mercy we implore,
Within His palace bright to bring
And keep us evermore.

All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run.

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
To sweet new strains attune your theme;
The while we keep, from care released,
With sober joy our Paschal feast:

When Christ, unconquer'd Lion, first
The dragon's chains by rising burst:
And while with living voice He cries,
The dead of other ages rise.

Engorged in former years, their prey
Must death and hell restore today:
And many a captive soul, set free,
With Jesus leaves captivity.

Right gloriously He triumphs now,
Worthy to Whom should all things bow;
And joining heaven and earth again,
Links in one commonweal the twain.

And we, as these His deeds we sing,
His suppliant soldiers, pray our King,
That in His palace, bright and vast,
We may keep watch and ward at last.

Long as unending ages run,
To God the Father, laud be done:
To God the son, our equal praise,
And God the Holy Ghost, we raise.


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Monday, April 02, 2007
  Rejoice, Angelic Choirs, Rejoice
Rejoice, angelic choirs, rejoice! Rejoice now, all creation!
Let trumpets loudly raise their voice to hail the Lord's salvation;
Let all Christ's holy priesthood sing
The triumph of their mighty king
In festive celebration!

O earth, exult in radiance bright, illumined by Christ's splendor!
Your darkness now is put to flight; to him due praises render!
Be glad, O Church! Sing out your songs!
Your temples fill with shouting throngs
To hail the glorious victor!

Let all who gather round this flame, the sign of Christ's arising,
The deathless light of Christ accplaim, His saving mercy prizing
;
That all may live by faith in Him
Who conquered death, despair and sing,
To make us his forever.

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  Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Christians, to the Paschal victim
offer your thankful praises!

A lamb the sheep redeemeth:
Christ, who only is sinless,
reconcileth sinners to the Father.

Death and life have contended
in that combat stupendous:
the Prince of life, who died,
reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring
what thou sawest, wayfaring:

"The tomb of Christ, who is living,
the glory of Jesus' resurrection;

"Bright angels attesting,
the shroud and napkin resting.

"Yea, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he will go before you."

Christ indeed from death is risen,
our new life obtaining;
have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen.

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  Christ Is Arisen
Christ is arisen from the grave's dark prison,
So let our joy rise full and free;
Christ our comfort true will be,
Alleluia!

Were Christ not arisen, then death were still our prison.
Now, with Him to life restored,
We praise the Father of our Lord.
Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Now let our joy rise full and free;
Christ our comfort true will be.
Alleluia!

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007
  Saint of God, Elect and Precious (St. Stephen)
“He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’” Acts 7:60
John M. Neale (1818-1866)

Words: Un­known au­thor, 11th Cen­tu­ry (Sanc­te Dei pre­tio­se); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale in the Hymn­al Not­ed, 1852, alt.

Music: St. Thom­as (Webbe), Sam­u­el Webbe, Mo­tetts or An­ti­phons, 1792 (MI­DI, score).

Samuel Webbe, Sr. (1740-1816)

Saint of God, elect and precious,
Protomartyr Stephen, bright
With thy love of amplest measure,
Shining round thee like a light;
Who to God commendest, dying,
Them that did thee all despite.

Glitters now the crown above thee,
Figured in thy honored name:
O that we, who truly love thee,
May have portion in the same;
In the dreadful day of judgment
Fearing neither sin nor shame.

Laud to God, and might, and honor,
Who with flowers of rosy dye
Crowned thy forehead, and hath placed thee
In the starry throne on high:
He direct us, He protect us,
From death’s sting eternally.

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
  From God the Father, Virgin Born
“Unto you that fear My Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings.” Malachi 4:2


John M. Neale (1818-1866)
Words: Un­known au­thor, writ­ten be­tween the 10th and 13th Cen­tu­ries (A Pa­tre Un­i­gen­i­tus); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, St. Mar­ga­ret’s Hymn­al, 1875, alt.
Music: De­us Tu­or­um Mil­i­tum, Gre­no­ble An­ti­phon­er, 1753 (MI­DI, score).

From God the Father, virgin-born
To us the only Son came down;
By death the font to consecrate,
The faithful to regenerate.

Beginning from His home on high
In human flesh He came to die;
Creation by His death restored,
And shed new joys of life abroad.

Glide on, O glorious Sun, and bring
The gift of healing on Your wing;
To every dull and clouded sense
The clearness of Your light dispense.

Abide with us, O Lord, we pray;
The gloom of darkness chase away;
Your work of healing, Lord, begin,
And take away the stain of sin.

Lord, once You came to earth’s domain
And, we believe, shall come again;
Be with us on the battlefield,
From every harm Your people shield.

To You, O Lord, all glory be
For this Your blest epiphany;
To God Whom all His hosts adore,
And Holy Spirit evermore.

THE FATHER’S SOLE BEGOTTEN SON



Thomas B. Pollock (1836-1896)
Words: Un­known au­thor, be­tween the 10th & 13th Cen­tu­ries (A Pat­re Un­i­gen­i­tus); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Thom­as B. Poll­ock in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern (HAM), 1889, and re­cast by the com­pil­ers of HAM in 1904.
Music: Trin­i­ty Col­lege, John B. Dykes (1823-1876) (MI­DI, score).

John B. Dykes (1823-1876)

The Father’s sole begotten Son
Was born, the virgin’s Child, on earth;
His cross for us adoption won,
The life and grace of second birth.

Forth from the height of Heav’n He came,
In form of man with man abode;
Redeemed His world from death and shame,
The joys of endless life bestowed.

Redeemer, come with power benign,
Dwell in the souls that look for Thee;
O let Thy light within us shine
That we may Thy salvation see.

Abide with us, O Lord, we pray,
Dispel the gloom of doubt and woe;
Wash every stain of guilt away,
Thy tender healing grace bestow.

Lord, Thou hast come, and well we know
That Thou wilt likewise come again;
Thy kingdom shield from every foe,
Thy honor and Thy rule maintain.

Eternal glory, Lord, to Thee,
Whom, now revealed, our hearts adore;
To God the Father glory be,
And Holy Spirit evermore.

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  Alleluia, Song of Gladness
“Sing unto God, sing praises to His Name.” Psalm 68:4

Words: Un­known au­thor, 11th Cen­tu­ry (Al­le­lu­ia, dul­ce car­men); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, 1851, alt.
Music: Tan­tum Er­go Sam­u­el Webbe, Mo­tetts or An­ti­phons, 1792 (MI­DI, score).

If you have ac­cess to a pic­ture of Sam­u­el Webbe that we could put on­line, please click here.

John M. Neale (1818-1866)

Alleluia, song of gladness,
Voice of joy that cannot die;
Alleluia is the anthem
Ever dear to choirs on high;

In the house of God abiding
Thus they sing eternally.
Alleluia thou resoundest,
True Jerusalem and free;

Alleluia, joyful mother,
All thy children sing with thee;
But by Babylon’s sad waters
Mourning exiles now are we.

Alleluia we deserve not
Here to chant forevermore;
Alleluia our transgressions
Make us for a while give o’er;

For the holy time is coming
Bidding us our sins deplore.
Therefore in our hymns we pray Thee,
Grant us, blessèd Trinity,

At the last to keep Thine Easter
In our home beyond the sky;
There to Thee forever singing
Alleluia joyfully.
 

1. Alleluia dulce carmen,
Vox perennis gaudii,
Alleluia laus suavis
Est choris coelestibus,
Quam canunt Dei manentes
In domo per saecula.

2. Alleluia laeta mater
Concivis Jerusalem:
Alleluia vox tuorum
Civium gaudentium:
Exsules nos flere cogunt
Babylonis flumina.

3. Alleluia non meremur
In perenne psallere;
Alleluia vo reatus
Cogit intermittere;
Tempus instat quo peracta
Lugeamus crimina.

4. Unde laudando precamur
Te beata Trinitas,
Ut tuum nobis videre
Pascha des in aethere,
Quo tibi laeti canamus
Alleluia perpetim.

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Thursday, March 02, 2006
  Now Is the Healing Time Decreed
Now is the healing time decreed
for sins of heart, of word or deed,
when we in humble fear record
the wrong that we have done the Lord;

who, alway merciful and good,
has borne so long our wayward mood,
nor cut us off unsparingly
in our so great iniquity.

Therefore with fasting and with prayer,
our secret sorrow we declare;
with all good striving seek his face,
and lowly-hearted plead for grace.

Cleanse us, O Lord, from every stain,
help us the meed of praise to gain,
till with the angels linked in love
joyful we tread thy courts above.

Father and Son and Spirit blest,
to thee be every prayer addressed,
who art in threefold Name adored,
from age to age, the only Lord.

Words: Latin, 11th c.;
trans. Thomas Alexander Lacey, 1906

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All my favorite hymns. Most of them are from before the Reformation.

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