Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain

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1. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness; God hath brough forth 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 hath burst his prison, and from three days' sleep in death as a sun hath risen; all the winter of our sins, long and dark, is flying from his light, to whom we give 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 glad Jerusalem, who with true affection welcomes in unwearied strains Jesus' resurrection.

4. Neither might the gates of death, nor the tomb's dark portal, nor the watchers, nor the seal hold thee as a mortal; but today amidst the twelve thou didst stand, bestowing that thy peace which evermore passeth human knowing.

5. "Alleluia!" now we cry to our King immortal, who, triumphant, burst the bars of the tomb's dark portal; "Alleluia!" with the Son, God the Father praising, "Alleluia!" yet again to the Spirit raising.

Words by: John of Damascus
trans. by John Mason Neale
Music by: Arthur S. Sullivan

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Story of the hymn Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain

"Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain" is a joyful Easter hymn rooted in the rich tradition of Eastern Orthodox liturgical poetry. It dates to the 8th century and was written by St. John of Damascus (c. 675-749), also known as John Damascene, one of the most influential theologians, poets, and hymn writers of the Byzantine era.

Who Was John of Damascus?

John was born into a prominent Arab Christian family in Damascus (then under Muslim rule). His father served as a high official and financial adviser to the Caliph. After his father's death, John inherited the position and lived a life of wealth and influence. In his forties, however, he underwent a profound change: he gave away his possessions, freed his slaves, and retired to the Monastery of St. Sabas (Mar Saba) in the Judean Desert near Jerusalem, where he was later ordained a priest.

At the monastery, John devoted himself to theology, philosophy, science, music, and the defense of Orthodox Christianity—most famously opposing the Iconoclast movement (which sought to ban religious images). He also helped codify Byzantine chant and composed numerous hymns and canons for the church's liturgical year. His works shaped Eastern Christian worship for centuries. He is recognized as a Doctor of the Church in the Roman Catholic tradition and a saint in both Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches.

The Hymn's Origin

The text is the first ode (stanza section) of John's "Golden Canon" for Easter, specifically for the Canon of the Sunday after Easter (known as Low Sunday or St. Thomas Sunday in the Eastern tradition). It was originally written in Greek (beginning "Αἴσωμεν πάντες λαοί" or similar phrasing) around the mid-8th century.

John structured it as part of a larger Easter canon that celebrates Christ's resurrection. It draws directly on the biblical Song of Moses (Exodus 15), which recounts Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery through the Red Sea. The hymn uses this Old Testament event as a vivid type (symbol or foreshadowing) of the greater deliverance brought by Christ's resurrection: freedom from sin and death.

The original Greek poetry is part of the elaborate Byzantine liturgical canons sung during Pascha (Easter) season, blending scriptural imagery with triumphant praise.

Translation into English

The hymn reached English-speaking congregations through the work of John Mason Neale (1818-1866), an Anglican priest, scholar, and prolific translator of ancient hymns. Neale had a deep interest in the hymnody of the Eastern Church and published many translations to enrich Western worship.

His English version of "Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain" first appeared in an 1859 article on Greek hymnody in the Christian Remembrancer and was later included in his influential collection Hymns of the Eastern Church (1862). Neale's translation preserves the original's sense of triumphant joy while making it accessible and singable.

Common tunes include St. Kevin (by Arthur Sullivan, 1872) and St. John Damascene (by Arthur Henry Brown, 1868).

Legacy

"Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain" remains a beloved Easter hymn in many Protestant, Anglican, and Methodist traditions. It pairs well with another of John of Damascus's Easter hymns translated by Neale: "The Day of Resurrection." Together, they highlight how early Christian poets used vivid, scriptural imagery to proclaim the resurrection's victory. John of Damascus wrote this in the quiet of a desert monastery, yet its message of triumphant gladness has echoed through centuries of Christian worship—bridging Eastern and Western traditions and reminding believers that Christ's resurrection brings eternal spring to the soul.

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