Raise your voice in songs and praises

Adaptations to make this hymn more generally applicable are in the footnotes

Raise your voice in songs and praises,
Raise it high to the God we love;
From the full heart's depth arising,
It shall reach His throne above.
What is more our Christian duty,
What more truly meet and right,
Than to bless the Lord who brought us
Out of darkness into light?

Long ago when men in Hormead ¹
Built a church to show God's love,
For Saint Nicholas they named it,
For the saint of faith and love.
Built it strong and built it firmly,
Like the faith it brought to all,
And it stands, secure and steadfast
Symbol of the Gospel call.

Nicholas, the children's bishop,
Patron saint of sailors too,
Blessed bishop, blessed leader,
Here we keep your feast anew.
May your prayers be always with us,
Loving saint and loving friend,
Patron saint for Hormead's people,²
Let our grateful hymns ascend.

Nicholas, the kindly bishop,
With the cross upheld on high,
Preached the Word of love to all men.³
Made them feel that heaven was nigh.
Taught the truth by his example,
Showed the joy of Christian ways,
And the saint of cold December,
Warms our hearts to love and praise.

So do you, O loving Jesus,
Still from age to age the same,
Hear our gladsome Alleluias,
Mingled with Saint Nicholas' name.
May we all, with him as patron,⁴
Ever in your faith be strong,
May this ancient Christian nation,⁵
Keep it true through ages long.

Text: Unknown
Tune: HYFRYDOL 87 87 D

Musical notation PDF

1. or Long ago when men in Bari
2. or Patron saint for all God's people
   or You have taught us love of others, now . . .
3. or Preached and lived a life of kindness. made us . . .
4. or May we all, with faithful Nicholas, ever in your faith be strong,
5. or May this faithful Christian parish
   or May our parish with its children, do your work through ages long

Hymn for St. Nicholas sung at St Nicholas Parish, Great Hormead, United Kingdom

Mp3 file courtesy of Jennifer Wolfe and the Hope College Music Department.

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