Sunday Sing - Christ the Lord is Risen

So here at the Halfmann Huddle we are starting a new weekly series called Sunday Sing. I wanted to start this series because we all have favorite hymns and praise songs that we love to sing but do we know the story behind the song, the origin of it? Every Sunday I plan to share with you one of my favorites and together we will learn the history behind the song.


What better way to start than on Easter Sunday and I couldn't think of a better song to start with than "Christ the Lord is Risen Today". Did you know that it was originally called "Hymn for Easter Day" ?

"Hymn for Easter Day"  written in 1739 for the inaugural service at the Foundry Meeting House, London's first Wesleyan chapel. Composed by the most famous hymn writer of all, Charles Wesley, one year after his conversion.

As with many of the most popular hymns, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" has survived the centuries thanks to a successful marriage of lyrics and music. Its tune first circulated in 1708 with the Lyra Davidica hymnal, but no composer has ever been acknowledge. However, if you examine Hymn 716 from "A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists", John Wesley's hymnbook first published in 1780, you may notice a conspicuous absence. Charles Wesley's original text does not include the song's most distinctive characteristic- the "Alleluia!" that ends each line. It seems the lyrics didn't quite fit the tune, so an unknown editor added the famous alleluias later. 

Given the special Easter significance of alleluia, it's a match made in heaven. Alleluia, meaning "Praise the Lord", prominently leads off Psalms 106,111,112,113,117, and 135 in the Hebrew hymnal. In the years immediately following Christ's resurrection, alleluia particularly connoted praise for Jesus' victory over death. Early Christians began greeting each other on Easter with the now-familiar call and response: "Alleluia! He is risen!" "Alleluia! He is risen indeed!" Alleluia is meant to convey emphatic joy, thanksgiving, and triumph. 

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! 

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! 

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! 

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done,  Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! 

Lo! the Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia! 

Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia! 

Vain the stone, the watch,  the seal, Alleluia!

Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia! 

Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! 

Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia! 

Lives again our glorious King,  Alleluia! 

Where, O death is now they sting? Alleluia! 

Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! 

Where they victory, O grave? Alleluia! 

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! 

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! 
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! 


Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia! 
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!   
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia! 
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia! 


King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! 
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia! 
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!


Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! 
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia! 
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! 
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia! 


But the pains that He endured, Alleluia! 
Our salvation have procured,  Alleluia! 
Now above the sky He's King,  Alleluia! 
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia! 

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! 
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! 
Who did once upon the cross,  Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!