Joy Hath Come To Earth Again

For Whitsunday.

“The Words written expressly by the Rev. R. F. Littledale, M.A., LL.D.”

Music: "The air of the last Carol is from a Swiss Book of the sixteenth century"
set to four voices by Edmund Sedding.

Meter 8 of 7.

Source: Antient Carols for Christmas and Other Tides Arranged For Four Voices by Edmund Sedding. Second Edition. (London: Masters and Son, 1863), pp. 16-17.

"Thou, O God, sentest a Gracious Rain upon Thine inheritance;
And refreshedst it when it was weary."

1. Christ our Sun on us arose, Alleluia!
From His glory fled our foes, Alleluia!
Christ our Sun from us is gone, Alleluia!
And our hearts were faint and wan. Alleluia!
Thirsty yearned we for His grace, Alleluia!
Weary watched we for His Face, Alleluia!
While the bare and lonely shrine, Alleluia!
Waited for the Guest Divine.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

2. Joy hath come to earth again, Alleluia!
Downward poured the Spirit's rain, Alleluia!
And the rushing wind of might, Alleluia!
Swept away the clouds of night. Alleluia!
She whom weary years before, Alleluia!
In His love He hovered o'er, Alleluia!
Mother, Daughter, Spouse of God, Alleluia!
Chants anew her song of laud.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

3. And the Apostolic choir, Alleluia!
Glowing with the tongues of fire, Alleluia!
Clearer now and joyous raise, Alleluia!
Christ their Monarch's endless praise. Alleluia!
He hath let His Breath go forth, Alleluia!
And renewed the face of earth, Alleluia!
Bid the brook a river be, Alleluia!
And the river made a sea.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Sheet Music from  Antient Carols for Christmas and Other Tides Arranged For Four Voices by Edmund Sedding. Second Edition. (London: Masters and Son, 1863), pp. 16-17.

Editor's Note.

Mr. Sedding wrote:

For the remainder of Carol see Book of Words.

We've been unable to locate a copy of the Book of Words, but several collections have included a fourth verse:

From the snows where Scythians toil, Alleluia!
To Cyrene's thirsty soil, Alleluia!
From the Indian's distant home, Alleluia!
To the gates of mighty Rome, Alleluia!
Alleluia! raise the song, Alleluia!
Raise it high, and raise it long, Alleluia!
To the Father and the Word, Alleluia!
And the Spirit, God adored.
Alleluia! , Alleluia! , Alleluia!

Source: The People's Hymnal. Sixth Edition. (London: J. Masters and Co., 1877), #156, p. 58-9. No editor is indicated in the text, however many authorities believe that the compiler was Rev. Richard Frederick Littledale (1833–1890), the author of these lyrics, and the author of numerous theological works as well as the close friend Rev. John Mason Neale.

Whitsunday is the name used in Britain and Ireland, and among Anglicans throughout the world, for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples (Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2). A common understanding is that the name derives from the white garments worn by catechumens, those who were expecting to be baptized on that Sunday. Also, in England white vestments, rather than the more usual red, were traditional for the day.

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