Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain
Come, you faithful, raise the strain
The hymn applies the Exodus narrative typologically to Christ's resurrection as the ultimate liberation of God's people from bondage to sin and death. This connects the Old Testament narrative to New Testament fulfillment, emphasizing Lutheran understanding of Scripture's Christocentric unity.
History & Background
Originally a Greek Easter canon attributed to John of Damascus from the 8th century, this text was translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1866 for his collection 'Hymns of the Eastern Church.' The hymn became a staple of Easter worship in Anglican and Lutheran traditions.
Eighth-century Greek poet John of Damascus (b. Damascus, Scripture References c. 675; d. St. Sabas, near Jerusalem, c. 754) is especially known st. 1 = 1 Cor. 15: 20-28 for his writing of six canons for the major festivals of the st 2 = Matt. 28:1-9 church year. (A canon is a form of Greek hymnody based on biblical canticles consisting of nine odes, each with six to nine stanzas.) His “Golden Canon” is the source of Easter hymns (see also 390). Written around 750 and inspired by the Song of Moses in Exodus 15, this text is John’s first ode from the canon for the Sunday after Easter. John’s father, a Christian, was an important official at the court of the Muslim caliph in Damascus. After his father’s death, John assumed that position and lived in wealth and honor. At about the age of forty, however, he became dissatisfied with his life, gave away his possessions, freed his slaves, and entered the monastery of St. Sabas in the desert near Jerusalem. One of the last of the Greek fathers, John became a great theologian in the Eastern church. He defended the church’s use of icons, codified the practices of Byzantine chant, and wrote about science, philosophy, and theology. All canons in the Greek church demonstrated how Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection. The first ode of each canon was based on the Passover event and on Exodus 15 as the metaphor for Christ’s delivery of his people from the slavery of sin and death (seen more clearly at 390). That metaphor lies behind stanza 1. Stanza 2 uses images of spring and sunshine as metaphors for the new life and light of Christ. Stanza 3 concludes the text with an Easter doxology. 546 EASTER John M. Neale translated the text in his article on Greek hymnology in the Christian Remembrancer (April, 1859) and reprinted it in his Hymns of the Eastern Churchin 1862. The three stanzas are taken from Neale’s stanzas la and 3b (st. 1), his stanza 2 (st. 2), and a doxology from the 1868 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (st. 3).
Hymnal Appearances
- Chalice Hymnal — 215
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 363
- Gather 4th Edition — 363
- Glory to God — 234
- The Hymnal 1982 — 199
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 132
- Lutheran Service Book — 487
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 190
- Lutheran Worship — 141
- New Century Hymnal — 230
- Psalter Hymnal — 389
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 204
- United Methodist Hymnal — 315
- Voices Together — 284
- With One Voice — 722
Translation
Liturgical Use
Easter season.
Bulletin Note
An eighth-century Byzantine hymn by John of Damascus, this Easter text applies Israel's exodus typologically to Christ's resurrection. It connects Old Testament liberation to New Testament fulfillment, embodying Scripture's Christocentric unity.
Preaching Connection
This hymn's typological echo of the Exodus powerfully illustrates how Christ fulfills the Law's judgment of death with the Gospel's promise of liberation—He is the Passover that ends all bondage.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From Christ's resurrection victory over death (Law's confrontation of mortality) through apostolic witness and doubt to faith's triumph and eternal promise (Gospel proclamation)
Themes
Resurrection of Christ Victory over death Paschal joy Exodus typology Redemption