Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
Of
triumphant gladness;
God
hath brought forth 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.
2
’Tis
the spring of souls today;
Christ
has 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 is giv'n
Laud
and praise undying.
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 strains
Jesus’
resurrection.
4
For
today among the twelve
Christ
appeared, bestowing
His
deep peace, which evermore
Passes
human knowing.
Neither
could be the gates of death,
Nor
the tomb’s dark portal,
Nor
the watchers, nor the seal,
Hold
Him as mortal.
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.