This magnificent twentieth-century Easter hymn was written by Paul Zeller Strodach (1876–1947) specifically for the Service Book and Hymnal, having served on its preparation committee from 1945 until his death. He intended the text to be paired with the soaring seventeenth-century German tune LASST UNS ERFREUEN. One of the most fascinating aspects of Strodach’s original poetry was his deliberate use of singular nouns (“heart,” “will,” “life”) alongside plural pronouns (“our,” “us”) to emphasize the collective, unified action of the entire Church. Later hymnal editors changed “our life” to “our lives,” subtly shifting the emphasis from the corporate Body to individual response. The hymn acts as a cosmic celebration of Christ’s resurrection, drawing upon the heavenly throne room visions of Revelation 5 and 7 and culminating in an endless doxology to the Holy Trinity.
Sung at Our Saviour
2026