Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding

Representative Text

1 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!
"Christ is near," we hear it say.
"Cast away the works of darkness,
all you children of the day!"

2 Startled at the solemn warning,
from the darkness we arise;
Christ, our sun, all ill dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies.

3 See, the Lamb so long expected
comes with pardon down from heaven.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
one and all, to be forgiven;

4 so when next he comes in glory
and the world is wrapped in fear,
he will shield us with his mercy
and with words of love draw near.

5 Honor, glory, might, dominion
to the Father and the Son,
with the everliving Spirit
while eternal ages run.

Source: Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs #478

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Translator: Edward Caswall

Edward Caswall was born in 1814, at Yately, in Hampshire, where his father was a clergyman. In 1832, he went to Brasenose College, Oxford, and in 1836, took a second-class in classics. His humorous work, "The Art of Pluck," was published in 1835; it is still selling at Oxford, having passed through many editions. In 1838, he was ordained Deacon, and in 1839, Priest. He became perpetural Curate of Stratford-sub-Castle in 1840. In 1841, he resigned his incumbency and visited Ireland. In 1847, he joined the Church of Rome. In 1850, he was admitted into the Congregation of the Oratory at Birmingham, where he has since remained. He has published several works in prose and poetry. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Related Texts

First Line: Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding
Latin Title: Vox clara ecce intonat
Translator: Edward Caswall
Meter: 8.7.8.7
Source: Latin hymn, 5th cent.
Language: English
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Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Rom. 13:11-12
st. 2 = 2 Pet. 1:19
st. 3 = John 1:29
st. 4 = Luke 21:25-28
st. 5 = Rev. 5:13

Although earliest manuscript copy dates from the tenth century, this text is possibly as old as the fifth century. It is based on the Latin hymn 'Vox clara ecce intonat" and its 1632 revision "En clara vox redarguit." The text in the Psalter
Hymnal is a revision of both Edward Caswall's (PHH 438) translation in his Lyra Catholica (1849) and the translation in Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861).

The hymn is most useful for Advent because it permits various interpretations of Christ's coming. Stanzas 1-3 contain references to Christ's first coming, but they can be used to celebrate his second coming as well. Stanza 4 surely refers to the second coming, and stanza 5, the only stanza addressed to God, is a doxology.

Liturgical Use:
During Advent for worship services that stress Christ's second coming; use stanza 5 as an Advent doxology.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

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Tune

MERTON (Monk)

William H. Monk (b. Brompton, London, England, 1823; d. London, 1889) composed MERTON and published it in The Parish Choir (1850). The tune has been associated with this text since the 1861 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern. The tune's title is thought to refer to Walter de Merton, founder of Mert…

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Instances

Instances (1 - 25 of 25)
Text

Ancient and Modern #38

Ancient and Modern #38

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #286

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #286
TextPage Scan

Christian Worship #15

Christian Worship #15

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #126

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #126
Text

Common Praise (1998) #108

Common Praise (1998) #108
Page Scan

Common Praise #26

Common Praise #26
TextPage Scan

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #263

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #263
TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #96

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #96
TextAudio

Evangelical Lutheran Worship #246

Evangelical Lutheran Worship #246
Text

Hymnal 1982 #59

Hymnal 1982 #59
Text

Hymnal Supplement 1991 #725

Hymnal Supplement 1991 #725

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #24

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #24
Text

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #192

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #192

Hymns Old and New #196

Hymns Old and New #196
TextFlexscoreAudioPage Scan

Lift Up Your Hearts #478

Lift Up Your Hearts #478
TextPage Scan

Lutheran Service Book #345

Lutheran Service Book #345
Text

Lutheran Worship #18

Lutheran Worship #18
Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #332

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #332

Sing Glory #436

Sing Glory #436

The Book of Common Praise of the Reformed Episcopal Church #19

The Book of Common Praise of the Reformed Episcopal Church #19

The Covenant Hymnal #129

The Covenant Hymnal #129
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2639

The Cyber Hymnal #2639

The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #647

The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #647
TextPage Scan

The New English Hymnal #5

The New English Hymnal #5
Text

Together in Song #264

Together in Song #264
Include 78 pre-1979 instances
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