Thursday Hymn

I hope you won't mind that I'm a bit heavy on the John of Damascus/John M. Neale hymns lately. Blame it on their genius! I think the former especially has just made it to my "must meet in Heaven" list!

Let Us Rise in Early Morning

Text: John of Damascus, 8th c. Greek, Engl. tr. John M. Neale, 1862?
Tune: CWM RHONDDA, John Hughes, 1907

Let us rise in early morning,
And, instead of ointments, bring
Hymns of praises to our Master,
And his Resurrection sing:
We shall see the Sun of Justice
Ris’n with healing on his wing,
Ris’n with healing on his wing.

Thy unbounded loving-kindness,
They that groaned in Hades’ chain,
Prisoners, from afar beholding,
Hasten to the light again
And to that eternal Pascha
Wove the dance and raised the strain,
Wove the dance and raised the strain.

Go ye forth, his saints, to meet him!
Go with lamps in every hand!
From the sepulcher he riseth:
Ready for the Bridegroom stand:
And the Pascha of salvation
Hail, with His triumphant band,
Hail, with His triumphant band.