Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
Your sweetest notes employ,
The Paschal victory to hymn
In strains of holy joy. For Judah’s Lion bursts His chains,
Crushing the serpent’s head;
And cries aloud through death’s domains
To wake the imprisoned dead. From hell’s devouring jaws the prey
Alone our Leader bore;
His ransomed hosts pursue their way
Where Jesus goes before. Triumphant in His glory now
To Him all power is given;
To Him in one communion bow
All saints in earth and heaven. While we, His soldiers, praise our King,
His mercy we implore,
Within His palace bright to bring
And keep us evermore. All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run. Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
To sweet new strains attune your theme;
The while we keep, from care released,
With sober joy our Paschal feast: When Christ, unconquer’d Lion, first
The dragon’s chains by rising burst:
And while with living voice He cries,
The dead of other ages rise. Engorged in former years, their prey
Must death and hell restore today:
And many a captive soul, set free,
With Jesus leaves captivity. Right gloriously He triumphs now,
Worthy to Whom should all things bow;
And joining heaven and earth again,
Links in one commonweal the twain. And we, as these His deeds we sing,
His suppliant soldiers, pray our King,
That in His palace, bright and vast,
We may keep watch and ward at last. Long as unending ages run,
To God the Father, laud be done:
To God the son, our equal praise,
And God the Holy Ghost, we raise. |
