Scripture Verse

Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth. Psalm 96:10

Introduction

portrait
John M. Neale (1818–1866)

Words: John M. Neale, Ca­rols for Christ­mas and Eas­ter­tide, 1853.

Music: Bur­dur Tho­mas Hel­more, Ca­rols for Eas­ter­tide (Lon­don & New York: J. Al­fred No­vel­lo, 1855), nu­mber 18 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Thomas Helmore (1811–1890)

Lyrics

Sing Al­le­luia, all ye lands!
Ye floods and oceans, clap your hands!
The King re­turns from glo­ri­ous fight,
Whose arms have shat­tered Sa­tan’s might;
Our glad­dest song shall there­fore be,
That God was reign­ing from the Tree!

The sling and five smooth stones have slain
The giant on the bat­tle plain;
And Ho­lo­fer­nes’ fal­chi­on dread,
Hath se­vered Ho­lo­fer­nes’ head;
Our chief is crowned, for slain was He,
When God was reign­ing from the Tree!

Alone, des­pised, and set at naught,
The press He trod, the fight He fought;
Alone He crushed the dra­gon down,
And so alone He wears the crown;
The sun is bright, the clouds must flee,
For God was reign­ing from the Tree!

Jerusalem, arise and shine!
The glo­ry of thy Lord is thine;
The vic­tor’s crown, the roy­al throne,
Are all His gift, and all thine own;
For all of His thine own shall be,
Since God was reign­ing from the Tree!