Scripture Verse

The Lord is risen. Luke 24:34

Introduction

portrait
Friedrich Spee (1591–1635)

Words: Fried­rich Spee, in the Köln­isch­es Ge­sang­buch, 1623 (Die ganze Welt, Herr Je­su Christ). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by (pos­si­bly) George R. Wood­ward (1848–1934). Ap­peared in Car­ols Old and Car­ols New, ed­it­ed by Charles L. Hutch­ins (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Par­ish Choir, 1916), num­ber 317.

Music: Hi­la­ri­ter, me­lo­dy from the Köln­isch­es Ge­sang­buch, 1623; har­mo­nized by George R. Wood­ward (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Wood­ward (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

The world it­self is bright and gay,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya;
And keeps with Je­sus East­er day,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya.

The skies with an­gel music ring,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya;
While ho­ly church on earth doth sing,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya.

Our fields are decked in ver­nal hue,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya;
The trees begin to bloom anew,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya.

Hark! birds are sing­ing far and near!
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya;
The night­in­gale ’tis joy to hear.
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya.

Now sun­beams dai­ly strong­er grow,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya;
And lend the earth a bright­er glow,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya.

The world it­self is bright and gay,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya;
And keeps with Je­sus East­er day,
Alleluya, al­le­lu­ya.