Rejoice, All Ye Believers

For Advent

Words: Laurentius Laurenti, "Ermuntert euch, ihr Frommen"

Translation: Sarah B. Findlater, Hymns from the Land of Luther. New and Enlarged Edition. (New York: A. D. F. Randolph & Co., 1869), pp. 51-52.

"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." -- Matt. 25:6

1. Rejoice, all ye believers,
And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing,
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising,
And soon He draweth nigh.
Up! pray, and watch, and wrestle --
At midnight comes the cry!

2. See that your lamps are burning,
Replenish them with oil,
And wait for your salvation
The end of earthly toil.
The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go, meet Him as He cometh,
With Hallelujahs clear!

3. Ye wise and holy virgins,
Now raise your voices higher,
Till in songs of jubilee
They meet the angel-choir.
The marriage-feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up! Up! ye heirs of glory --
The Bridegroom is at hand!

4. Ye saints, who here in patience
Your cross and suff’rings bore,
Shall live and reign forever,
When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory
The Lamb ye shall behold,
In triumph cast before Him
Your diadems of gold!

5. Palms of victory are there;
There, radiant garments are;
There stands the peaceful harvest,
Beyond the reach of war.
There, after stormy winter,
The flowers of earth arise,
And from the grave's long slumber
Shall meet again our eyes!

6. Our Hope and Expectation,
O Jesus! now appear;
Arise, thou Sun, so longed for,
O'er this benighted sphere!
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth’s redemption,
That brings us unto Thee!

Sheet Music from The Condordia Hymnal

Sheet Music from The Parish School Hymnal. Philadelphia: Board of Publication of the United Lutheran Church in America, 1926, #7.

Sheet Music from J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #45, pp. 72-3.

"Melody first published by Triller, in 1559.
Author unknown. Harmony from Layriz."
Text: "Hymns from the Land of Luther."

Note:

This hymn of ten stanzas by Laurentius Laurenti is said to be his finest hymn and emphasizes our Lord’s Second Advent. The hymn was published in the author’s Evangelica Melodica, 1700, entitled “for the 27th Sunday after Trinity.” The complete hymn unites the imagery of the parable of the Ten Virgins, Matt. 25:1-13 with that of Rev. 20—21. Source: Handbook to The Lutheran Hymnal.

Miss Borthwick posted this notice at the beginning of the volume concerning her work in translating these works:

"A few of the following poems may be considered as rather imitations than translations, although the ideas and structure are too much borrowed to allow them to be called original."
Edinburgh, December, 1853.

If you would like to help support Hymns and Carols of Christmas, please click on the button below and make a donation.

Related Hymns and Carols