November 1, 2006
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For All The Saints
This is one of my favorite hymns. I want it sung at my funeral. I have a long and ever growing wish list of music for this service. My husband gently reminds me that funerals are usually an hour, or two, in duration. But For All the Saints is significant as my first choice, made when I was in my twenties. This hymn makes me yearn for the “yet more glorious day” while I feebly struggle here on earth, reminds me of the communion we share with those who have gone before, and strengthens me with that distant triumph song. You can hear it here.
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!O may thy soldiers faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!From earth’s wide bonds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia! Alleluia!words by William Walsham How 1864, 1875
tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906
Comments (5)
That is a beautiful hymn! If I’ve heard it before, I don’t remember it. I love good hymns!
Yes! I know it and love it! An hour-long hymn sing for a funeral instead of eulogies sounds good to me. Count me in
Dana in GA
I love this hymn! All of RVW’s tunes end up in my top 25 hymns list.
Beautiful, as is your picture on the sidebar. Is it new? It seems different. You look beautiful and oh so happy!
I’m singing it out loud here at work For such a day as this, how good to sing alleluias. I didn’t know Ralph Vaughn Williams wrote it. He is one of our favorites. Thanks for the eternal perspective.