183

Aleluya (Alleluia)

Full Text

1 Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Christ the Lord is risen indeed.

2 Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Christ, the firstfruits from the grave.

3 Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Christ has given us new life.

4 Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Glory, love, and praise to God.

Spanish:
Aleluya. Aleluya.
Aleluya. Aleluya.
Aleluya. Aleluya.
El Señor resucitó.

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Scripture References

Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Easter hymns accomplish three functions: they recount the Easter narrative, proclaim our Easter hope, and celebrate our joy at Christ’s resurrection. This hymn is built on the professions of Easter truths that are expressed primarily in Heidelberg Catechism. Note especially the following:

  • Lord’s Day 17, Question and Answer 45 declares that Christ’s resurrection makes us share in Christ’s righteousness, raises us to a new life by his power, and is a sure pledge to us of our resurrection.
  • Lord’s Day 22, Question and Answer 57 comforts us to know that not only our soul but “also my very flesh will be raised by the power of God, reunited with my soul, and made like Christ’s glorious body.”
  • Lord’s Day 22, Question and Answer 58 says that it may be a comfort to know that while experiencing the beginning of eternal joy now, “after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God forever.”

In addition, Our Song of Hope, stanza 5 professes: “On the day of the resurrection, the tomb was empty; His disciples saw Him; death was defeated; new life had come. God’s purpose for the world was sealed.”

183

Aleluya (Alleluia)

Introductory/Framing Text

“Alleluia” means, of course, “Praise the Lord.” In this text the alleluias build on one another, leading toward the reason for our praise: El Señor resucitó – the Lord is risen! 

Words of Praise

Glory to you, O God:
On this day you won victory over death,
raising Jesus from the grave
and giving us eternal life.
Glory to you, O Christ:
For us and for our salvation you overcame death
and opened the gate to everlasting life.
Glory to you, O Holy Spirit:
You lead us into the truth.
Glory to you, O blessed Trinity,
now and forever. Amen.
[BCW-1946, pg 304, alt., PD]
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

In life and in death we belong to God.
Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit,
we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,
whom alone we worship and serve.
We trust in Jesus Christ,
fully human, fully God.
Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:
preaching good news to the poor
and release to the captives,
forgiving sinners,
and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.
Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition,
Jesus was crucified,
suffering the depths of human pain
and giving his life for the sins of the world.
God raised Jesus from the dead,
vindicating his sinless life,
breaking the power of sin and evil,
delivering us from death to life eternal.
With believers in every time and place,
we rejoice that nothing in life or in death
can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
—from A Brief Statement of Faith
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Assurance

Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have died.
For since death came through a human being,
the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;
for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
—1 Corinthians 15:20-22, NRSV
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

For us there is one God, the Father,
from whom are all things and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
—1 Corinthians 8:6, NRSV
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Blessing/Benediction

Now to him who by the power at work within us
is able to accomplish abundantly far more
than all we can ask or imagine,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
—Ephesians 3:20-21, NRSV
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Now to the King eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only God,
be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
—1 Timothy 1:17, NIV
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Grace to you and peace
from him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,
and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,
and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father,
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
—Revelation 1:4-6, NRSV
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Go forth in joy to love and serve God in all that you do.
We are sent in the name of the risen Christ.
Let us bless our Lord.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
May the God of peace,
who raised to life the great shepherd of the sheep,
make us ready to do his will in every good thing,
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Alleluia! Amen.
—based on Hebrews 13:20-21
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Additional Prayers

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
From everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Speak to us now as you have spoken to us throughout the ages.
On this glorious Easter, reveal yourself and your will for our lives,
that we might live as your Easter people.
We seek your face, O Lord; hear our prayer through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
—based on Psalm 90
[The Worship Sourcebook]
— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two
183

Aleluya (Alleluia)

Tune Information

Name
ALELUYA HONDURAS
Key
D Major
Meter
8.8.8.7

Recordings

Musical Suggestion

John Bell has extracted the chorus of this popular Honduran folk song and presented it in a polished four-part setting. For a more authentic flavor, lead it on nylon string acoustic guitar with simple I-IV-V chords and a strong “country” style back beat. 
— Greg Scheer

This short Easter refrain is wonderful not only because it is a gift from our Honduran brothers and sisters, but also because children and adults alike can pick up this song easily (and will be humming or singing it throughout the day even after the service is done!).
 
Have the children introduce this song while the rest of the congregation joins in on subsequent stanzas. Or invite children to come down the aisles on Palm Sunday, swapping out Alleluia with “Shout Hosanna” and singing the last line “Christ the King will save us all!”
 
This versatile song may be sung at any time of year. As written, it would be ideal for Easter Sunday or for singing as communion is served. But with the last line changed, it could be used for virtually any worship season or liturgy:
  • Ascension: “Christ the King [Lord] still reigns today!”
  • Pentecost: “the Holy Spirit lives in me”
  • Thanksgiving: “Thanking God for all his gifts [love] [grace]”
  • Christmas: “Christ the Savior born today” or “The babe is born to save”
Such an adaptable song could also be a wonderful sending piece. Because it is so easy to memorize, the congregation could leave while singing and the last phrase could be sung as “God has called us out to serve” or “Go to love and serve the Lord.”
 
Certainly the possibilities for this short refrain are many, including different musical accompaniment. It definitely needs to have a moving, swaying beat, but should not be rushed. It could be sung a cappella with just drums or a tambourine or with a simple guitar or keyboard leading. Let your imagination and the catchiness of the tune open up your mind to the countless variations!
(from Reformed Worship, Issue 102)
— Brenda Kuyper

In the song’s melody, too, the alleluias bring us from expressing our praise to offering the hope that is in us. Each phrase should grow towards the third syllable of the second alleluia, and the whole song should grow towards the last word. Make sure the vocal line expresses the pulse (at a gentle, moderate tempo), rather than the legato line of the melody. This song is best sung unaccompanied except for simple percussion (hand claps and maracas playing an eight-note rhythm), and perhaps a guitar strum. It invites movement—either swaying in place or stepping from side to side with the rhythm. Encourage people to look up from their books and sing this from memory—in both languages. 
183

Aleluya (Alleluia)

Author and Composer Information

John Bell (b. 1949) was born in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, intending to be a music teacher when he felt the call to the ministry. But in frustration with his classes, he did volunteer work in a deprived neighborhood in London for a time and also served for two years as an associate pastor at the English Reformed Church in Amsterdam. After graduating he worked for five years as a youth pastor for the Church of Scotland, serving a large region that included about 500 churches. He then took a similar position with the Iona Community, and with his colleague Graham Maule, began to broaden the youth ministry to focus on renewal of the church’s worship. His approach soon turned to composing songs within the identifiable traditions of hymnody that found began to address concerns missing from the current Scottish hymnal:
 
I discovered that seldom did our hymns represent the plight of poor people to God. There was nothing that dealt with unemployment, nothing that dealt with living in a multicultural society and feeling disenfranchised. There was nothing about child abuse…, that reflected concern for the developing world, nothing that helped see ourselves as brothers and sisters to those who are suffering from poverty or persecution. [from an interview in Reformed Worship (March 1993)]
 
That concern not only led to writing many songs, but increasingly to introducing them internationally in many conferences, while also gathering songs from around the world. He was convener for the fourth edition of the Church of Scotland’s Church Hymnary (2005), a very different collection from the previous 1973 edition. His books, The Singing Thing and The Singing Thing Too, as well as the many collections of songs and worship resources produced by John Bell—some together with other members of the Iona Community’s “Wild Goose Resource Group,” are available in North America from GIA Publications. 
— Emily Brink
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