Now Let the Heavens Be Joyful

Representative Text

1 Now let the heav'ns be joyful,
let earth her song begin,
let all the world keep triumph
and all that is therein.

Refrain:
He is risen! He is risen!
Christ the Lord is risen!
Our joy shall have no end.

2 From death to life eternal,
from earth onto the sky,
our Christ has brought us over
with hymns of victory. [Refrain]

3 Let all things, seen and unseen,
their notes of gladness blend,
for Christ the Lord has risen,
our joy that has no end. [Refrain]


Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #448

Author: St. John of Damascus

Eighth-century Greek poet John of Damascus (b. Damascus, c. 675; d. St. Sabas, near Jerusalem, c. 754) is especially known for his writing of six canons for the major festivals of the church year. John's father, a Christian, was an important official at the court of the Muslim caliph in Damascus. After his father's death, John assumed that position and lived in wealth and honor. At about the age of forty, however, he became dissatisfied with his life, gave away his possessions, freed his slaves, and entered the monastery of St. Sabas in the desert near Jerusalem. One of the last of the Greek fathers, John became a great theologian in the Eastern church. He defended the church's use of icons, codified the practices of Byzantine chant, and wr… Go to person page >

Translator: J. M. Neale

John M. Neale's life is a study in contrasts: born into an evangelical home, he had sympathies toward Rome; in perpetual ill health, he was incredibly productive; of scholarly tem­perament, he devoted much time to improving social conditions in his area; often ignored or despised by his contemporaries, he is lauded today for his contributions to the church and hymnody. Neale's gifts came to expression early–he won the Seatonian prize for religious poetry eleven times while a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, England. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1842, but ill health and his strong support of the Oxford Movement kept him from ordinary parish ministry. So Neale spent the years between 1846 and 1866 as a warden of Sackvi… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Now let the heavens be joyful
Title: Now Let the Heavens Be Joyful
Author: St. John of Damascus
Translator: J. M. Neale
Meter: 7.6.7.6 with refrain
Language: English
Refrain First Line: He is risen! He is risen!
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances

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Text

Christian Worship #448

Text

Worship Supplement 2000 #730

Include 1 pre-1979 instance
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