Zion's Daughter

For Advent

Version 1
Compare: Zion's Daughter - Version 2

Words: Tochter Zion, Freue Dich!, Heinrich Ranke (1798-1876)
Translation by H. Brueckner

Music: "Maccabaeus," G. F. Handel

Source: O. Hardwig, The Wartburg Hymnal (Chicago: Wartburg Publishing House, 1918), #85.

1. Zion's daughter, O rejoice!
Shout aloud, Jerusalem!
Lo, thy King doth come to thee,
Yea, He comes, the Prince of Peace!
Zion's daughter, O rejoice!
Shout aloud, Jerusalem!

2. Hail, hosanna, David's Son,
Be Thou to Thy people blest!
Thine eternal kingdom come!
Praise be sung to Thee on high!
Hail, hosanna, David's Son,
Be Thou to Thy people blest!

3. Hail, hosanna, David's Son,
Be Thou welcome, gentle King!
Firmly stands Thy throne of peace,
Thou, the Father's only Son!
Hail, hosanna, David's Son,
Be Thou to Thy people blest!

Sheet Music from O. Hardwig, ed., The Wartburg Hymnal (Chicago: Wartburg Publishing House, 1918)

Note:

A new translation was prepared in 2007 by "Silent Night" historian Bill Egan. You can download the lyrics and sheet music for "Zion's Daughter" (2 pages) in the Files section of the Christmas International Group at Yahoo.com:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristmasInternational/files/

It's a reworking of the English-language translation of the German carol "Tochter Zion, Freue Dich!" with music by G. F. Handel. Handel used the music for his 1746 oratorio "Judas Maccabaeus."

Bill's note to the CI Group was that "You can print it and bring it to your church choir director. It's a nice hymn for Advent."

See Message # 6355, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristmasInternational/message/6355

Mr. Egan is moderator of the Christmas International Group. It's purpose is to focus on interesting non-commercial Christmas traditions as celebrated throughout the world. The group has members from 75 nations. "Through this group, we enjoy sharing our Christmas experiences with people in many nations."

 

Click to join Christmas International

A hymn with a similar name, "Sion's Daughter," was a translation from the Latin of the 1852 Roman Breviary "Venite e cœlo Mediator alto" by Sir. Henry W. Baker according to the editors of Hymns, Ancient And Modern (Old Edition, 1889) and others. It is a hymn for the passiontide.

Sources:

Orby Shipley, ed., A Glossary of Ecclesiastical Terms. London: Rivingtons, 1872, p. 426.

Josiah Miller, Singers and Songs of the Church. Second Edition. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1869, p. 559.

"Monthly Packet of Evening Readings." London: John and Charles Mozley, January-June, 1867.

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