Scripture Verse

I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 16:19

Introduction

Words: From an 11th Cen­tu­ry ma­nu­script in the Brit­ish Mu­se­um (Ex­ul­tet coe­lum lau­di­bus). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to En­glish by Ri­chard Mant, An­cient Hymns from the Ro­man Bre­vi­ary, 1837, alt.

Music: Auc­to­ri­ta­te Sae­cu­li An­gers church tune (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Richard Mant (1776–1848)

Lyrics

Let the round world with songs re­joice;
Let Hea­ven return the joy­ful voice;
All mind­ful of th’Apos­tles’ fame,
Let Heav’n and earth their praise proc­laim.

Ye ser­vants who once bore the light
Of Gos­pel truth o’er heath­en night,
Still may your work that light im­part,
To glad our eyes and cheer our heart.

O God, by whom to them was giv’n
The key that shuts and op­ens Heav’n,
Our chains un­bind, our loss re­pair,
And grant us grace to en­ter there.

For at Thy will they preached the Word
Which cured dis­ease, which health con­ferred:
O may that heal­ing pow­er once more
Our souls to grace and health re­store.

That when Thy Son again shall come,
And speak the world’s un­err­ing doom,
He may with them pro­nounce us blest,
And place us in Thy end­less rest.

To Thee, O Fa­ther; Son, to Thee;
To Thee, blest Spir­it, glo­ry be!
So was it ay for ag­es past,
So shall through end­less ag­es last.