James Alexander
1830– · Romantic
James Alexander was a 19th-century translator active in Christian hymnody during the mid-1800s. Born in 1830, he contributed to the expansion of hymnal literature through translation work, helping to make existing hymns and sacred texts accessible to English-speaking congregations. His translations reflected the Victorian era's approach to hymnody, which emphasized both theological accuracy and literary quality. Alexander's work as a translator positioned him within the broader movement of hymn adaptation and localization that characterized 19th-century Protestant church music. Though details of his life remain limited, his contributions to hymnal translation represent an important part of the period's rich tradition of making sacred music available to wider audiences.
Hymn Texts (13)
- I Bind Unto Myself Today (St. Patrick's Breastplate)
- O Sacred Head Now Wounded
- O Sacred Head Now Wounded
- O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
- Once In Royal David's City
- There is a Green Hill Far Away
- Wondrous King All-Glorious
- Isaiah, Mighty Seer in Days of Old
- With Trembling Awe the Chosen Three
- Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult
- Jesus Calls Us o'er the Tumult
- Jesus, Loving to the End
- Break Now the Bread of Life