Alleluia, song of gladness
From Oremus Hymnal
Alleluia, song of gladness,
voice of joy that cannot die;
alleluia is the anthem
ever dear to choirs on high;
in the house of God abiding
thus they sing eternally.
Alleluia thou resoundest,
true Jerusalem and free;
alleluia, joyful mother,
all thy children sing with thee;
but by Babylon’s sad waters
mourning exiles now are we.
Alleluia cannot always
be our song while here below;
alleluia our transgressions
make us for a while forego;
for the solemn time is coming
when our tears for sin must flow.
Therefore in our hymns we pray thee,
grant us, blessèd Trinity,
at the last to keep thine Easter
in our home beyond the sky;
there to thee forever singing
alleluia joyfully.
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Historical Notes
Translation of Alleluia, dulce carmen; also found as Alleluia, song of sweetness.
Author
Latin, eleventh century or earlier; trans. John Mason Neale (1818-1866), 1851 and the editors of Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874.
