For All the Saints, by William Walsham How

©Photo. R.M.N. / R.-G. OjŽda

Above:  Saint John on Patmos

Image in the Public Domain

The Author, William Walsham How (1823-1897), was a priest and bishop of the Church of England.  He was Bishop of Bedford (1879-1888) and the first Bishop of Wakefield (1889-1897).  He wrote many hymns, including For All the Saints, which many hymnals pair with an incomparable tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

KRT

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1.  For all the saints, who from their labors rest,

who thee by faith before the world confessed,

thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.

Alleuluia, alleluia!

2.  Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might:

thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;

thou, in the darkness drear, the one true Light.

Alleluia, alleluia!

3.  O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,

fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,

and win, with them, the victor’s crown of gold.

Alleluia, alleluia!

4.  O blest communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.

Alleluia, alleluia!

5.  And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,

steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.

Alleluia, alleluia!

6.  The golden evening brightens in the west;

soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;

sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.

Alleluia, alleluia!

7.  But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;

the saints triuimphant rise in bright array;

the King of glory passes on his way.

Alleluia, alleluia!

8.  From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,

through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

Alleluia, alleluia!

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church