Come, Ye Faithful, Raise The Strain

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.

’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.

Now the queen of seasons, bright

With the day of splendor,

With the royal feast of feasts,

Comes its joy to render;

Comes to glad Jerusalem,

Who with true affection

Welcomes in unwearied strains

Jesus’ resurrection.

“Alleluia!” now we cry

To our King immortal,

Who, trimphant, burst the bars

Of the tomb’s dark portal;

“Alleluia” with the Son,

God the Father praising;

“Alleluia!” yet again

To the Spirit raising.

JOHN OF DAMASCUS (EIGHTH CENTURY)

Translated by John Mason Neale (1818–1866)

JOHN OF DAMASCUS was an artist in a time of censorship. The Christian emperor Leo of the Byzantine empire was trying to destroy all Christian art because he felt that such works promoted idolatry. John argued strongly in favor of art. According to tradition, the emperor punished John by (falsely) informing the Muslim caliph that John was a spy working for the Christian empire.

Not long afterwards, John left public life for the monastery at Mar Saba. There he continued his studies and also took up music. Some say he did for Eastern Christianity what Gregory the Great did in the West, organizing and codifying Christian hymns. And he wrote some himself as well.

This hymn artistically draws parallels between Israel’s exodus, Christ’s resurrection, and the season of spring. The ancient Greek is translated beautifully by the prolific scholar John Neale.

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.”

Matthew 28:5-6