Let us now our voices raise

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Let us now our voices raise

Author: St. Joseph the Hymnographer
Published in 10 hymnals

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Audio files: MIDI

Piano/Organ
	A Wreath of Carols for Christmastide

Instrumental
	Tidings of Comfort and Joy (Woodwind Sol…

Handbells
	Christmas Bells Overture - HB Part

Representative Text

1 Let us now our voices raise,
Wake the day with gladness;
God Himself to joy and praise
Turns our human sadness;
Joy that martyrs won their crown,
Opened heaven's bright portal,
When they laid the mortal down
For the life immortal.

2 Never flinched they from the flame,
From the torment never;
Vain the tyrant’s sharpest aim,
Vain each fierce endeavor:
For by faith they saw the land
Decked in all its glory,
Where triumphant now they stand
With the victor’s story.

3 Up and follow, Christian men!
Press through toil and sorrow;
Spurn the night of fear, and then,
O the glorious morrow!
Who will venture on the strife;
Who will first begin it?
Who will grasp the Land of Life?
Warriors, up and win it!

Source: Service Book and Hymnal of the Lutheran Church in America #546

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Author: St. Joseph the Hymnographer

Joseph, St., the Hymnographer. A native of Sicily, and of the Sicilian school of poets is called by Dr. Neale (in his Hymns of the Eastern Church), Joseph of the Studium, in error. He left Sicily in 830 for a monastic life at Thessalonica. Thence he went to Constantinople; but left it, during the Iconoclastic persecution, for Rome. He was for many years a slave in Crete, having been captured by pirates. After regaining his liberty, he returned to Constantinople. He established there a monastery, in connection with the Church of St. John Chrysostom, which was filled with inmates by his eloquence. He was banished to the Chersonese for defence of the Icons, but was recalled by the empress Theodora, and made Sceuophylax (keeper of the sacred… Go to person page >

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