Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain

"Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain" (LSB 487) was written by John of Damascus (675-749) and has been sung in the Church since the middle of the 8th century.

John of Damascus and his family were among a minority of Christians who refused to convert to Islam. This made life very tough as he spent his entire life under Islamic rule.

Through persecution, John of Damascus was one of the last of the Eastern Church Fathers. He was a staunch defender of the orthodox Christian faith in response to the challenges posed by the new religion of Islam. John had a poetic gift as he wrote several hymns. Many of his hymns, including "Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain," focused on the resurrection of Christ, which were written in particular against the false prophet who had died - Muhammad.

In the hymn, the truths of Jesus' resurrection crescendo until the Church of all time joins in praising the immortal King for her deliverance. The first stanza, based on the song of Moses in Exodus 15:1-18, connects Easter with Israel's deliverance from Pharaoh. Stanza two, recalls the true bondage of humanity to sin and death and how Christ has burst this prison. Stanza three tells of the joy brought by the "feast of feasts" that makes glad the hearts of the faithful, for nothing can ever dampen their strains of praise to God. The fourth stanza tells of that first Easter evening, when the resurrected Jesus appeared in the locked upper room. The final stanza tells how God has triumphed and the Church continues to sing alleluias to the King immortal!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

1 Come, you faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness!
God has brought His Israel
Into joy from sadness,
Loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot
Through the Red Sea waters.

2 ’Tis the spring of souls today:
Christ has burst His prison
And from three days’ sleep in death
As a sun has risen;
All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From His light, to whom is giv’n
Laud and praise undying.

3 Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to gladden faithful hearts
Which with true affection
Welcome in unwearied strain
Jesus’ resurrection!

4 For today among His own
Christ appeared, bestowing
His deep peace, which evermore
Passes human knowing.
Neither could the gates of death
Nor the tomb’s dark portal
Nor the watchers nor the seal
Hold Him as a mortal.

5 Alleluia! Now we cry
To our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars
Of the tomb’s dark portal.
Come, you faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness!
God has brought His Israel
Into joy from sadness!

Text: Public domain