Come, You Faithful

N°170

Come, you faithful, raise the strainOf triumphant gladness;

God has brought His IsraelInto joy from sadness;

Loosed from Pharoah's bitter yokeJacob's sons and daughters;

Led them with unmoistened footThrough the Red Sea waters.

'Tis the spring of souls today;Christ has burst His prison,

And from three days'sleep in deathAs a sun has risen;

All the winter of our sins,Long and dark, is flying

From His light, to whom is giv'nLaud and praise undying.

Now the queen of seasons, brightWith the day of splendor,

With the royal feast of feasts,Comes its joy to render;

Comes to gladden faithful heartsWhich with true affection

Welcome in unwearied strainJesus'resurrection.

For today among the twelveChrist appeared, be stowing

His deep peace, which evermorePasses 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.

"Alleluia!" now we cryTo our King immortal,

Who, triumphant, burst the bars Of the tomb's dark portal;

"Alleluia" with the Son,God the Father praising;

"Alleluia!" yet againTo the Spirit raising.