Alleluia, best and sweetest

Representative Text

1 Hallelujah! best and sweetest
Of the hymns of praise above;
Hallelujah! thou repeatest,
Angel Host, these notes of love;
This ye utter,
While your golden harps ye move.

2 Hallelujah! Church Victorious,
Join the concert of the sky;
Hallelujah! bright and glorious,
Lift, ye Saints, this strain on high;
We, poor exiles,
Join not yet your melody.

3 Hallelujah! strains of gladness,
Suit not souls with anguish torn;
Hallelujah! sounds of sadness
Best become the heart forlorn;
Our offences
We will bitter tears must mourn.

4 But our earnest supplication,
Holy God, we raise to thee;
Visit us with thy salvation,
Make us all thy joys to see.
Hallelujah!
Ours at length this strain shall be.

Source: Laudes Domini: a selection of spiritual songs, ancient and modern for use in the prayer-meeting #534

Author: John Chandler

John Chandler, one of the most successful translators of hymns, was born at Witley in Surrey, June 16, 1806. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, B.A. 1827, M.A. 1830. Ordained deacon in 1831 and priest in 1832, he succeeded his father as the patron and vicar of Whitley, in 1837. His first volume, entitled The Hymns of the Primitive Church, now first Collected, Translated and Arranged, 1837, contained 100 hymns, for the most part ancient, with a few additions from the Paris Breviary of 1736. Four years later, he republished this volume under the title of hymns of the Church, mostly primitive, collected, translated and arranged for public use, 1841. Other publications include a Life of William of Wykeham, 1842, and Horae s… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Alleluia, best and sweetest
Author: John Chandler
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Alleluia, dulce carmen. [Week before Septuagesima.] The earliest form in which this hymn is found is in three manuscripts of the 11th century in the British Museum. From a Durham manuscript of the 11th century, it was published in the Latin Hymns of the Anglo-Saxon Church (Surtees Society), 1851, p. 55. The text is in Daniel, i. No. 263, and with further readings in iv. p. 152; and in the Hymnarium Sarisuriense, 1851, p. 59. [Rev. W. A. Shoults, B.D.]

Translations in common use:—
1. Alleluia! best and sweetest. Of the hymns of praise above. By J. Chandler, first published in his Hymns of the Primitive Church, 1837, No. 59, in 4 stanzas of 6 lines, as the first of two renderings of the hymn. This translation is found in a great number of collections with the first two lines complete, but usually with a few alterations in the rest of the hymn.

--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 43 of 43)
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Laudes Domini #571

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Laudes Domini #534

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A Selection of Hymns #508

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Hymns for Church and Home #288

Hymns for Public Worship in the Diocese of Fredericton. 2nd ed. #d2

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Songs for the Sanctuary, or Hymns and Tunes for Christian Worship #1165

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Songs for the Sanctuary #1165

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Songs for the Sanctuary #1165

The Book of Praise #d17

The Christian Hymnal #d20

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The Church Hymnary #114

The Hymnal of the Reformed Church in the United States #d23

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The New Laudes Domini #1130

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A Collection of Hymns #299

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Church Book #20

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Church Book #20

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book #1232

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Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home. (Rev. ed.) #470

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Hymns of Worship #626

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Plymouth Collection #a1232

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Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations #1232

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Songs for Social and Public Worship #910

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The Christian Hymn Book #924

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The Congregational Hymn Book #277

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The Heavenly Choir #114a

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The Everlasting Joy #57

Text

A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #498

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A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion. (10th ed.) #498

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Church Harmonies #464

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #1393

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Laudes Domini #1072

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Offices of Worship and Hymns #1400

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Sacred Songs for School Use #44

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Songs for the Sanctuary; or, Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (Words only) #1165

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Songs for the Sanctuary #1165

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The Christian Hymnal #624

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The Students' Hymnal #19

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The Students' Hymnal #19

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