Sing with All the Saints in Glory

Our hymn for the month of November is "Sing with All the Saints in Glory," hymn 671 in Lutheran Service Book. This hymn was written by William J. Irons, a 19th Century Anglican priest. The hymn first appears in the book Psalms and Hymns for the Church, published in 1873. Originally the text had four stanzas, but in our hymnal two of the verses have been squeezed together into one. We have used this hymn at St. Paul's previously, but it deserves a place in your mind and heart.

In the Proper Preface of our Communion liturgy we confess that, in the Divine Service, we join our worship "with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven." Our hymn is a firm confession and reminder that our loved ones who have departed this life in the faith continue to worship with us as they rest from their labors. 

As we celebrate the Feast of All Saints on November 1 (and observe it in worship on November 2), this is a message of great comfort to us. "Death and sorrow, earth's dark story, to the former days belong." The day is coming when death will be no more. As St. Paul tells us, "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (I Corinthians 15:26). And in Revelation our Lord tells St. John, "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:5). That Day is surely coming: "Soon the storms of time shall cease; in God's likeness we awaken, knowing everlasting peace." 

As we await that glorious Day when the image of God, distorted by sin, will be perfected in us, we know that death is not the end. We know that a blessed rest awaits us. “God has promised, Christ prepares it; there on high our welcome waits.” And then, on the Last Day, shall come the sound of the trumpet that shall raise us all, and the faithful shall rise to endless day. “Life eternal! Oh, what wonders crowd on faith; what joy unknown, when, amid earth's closing thunders, saints shall stand before the throne!” What a glorious Day that shall be!

By the way, as I said above, this hymn was written by an Anglican priest. We Lutherans do not insist that our texts be written by Missouri Synod Lutherans. Lutherans are not the only ones who confess the truth of God's Word, and we are not the only ones who can write theologically solid hymns. And good, solid hymns were written long before there was a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. However, we do insist that we should only use theologically solid hymns, no matter their source.

Here is the text, which is in the public domain, from the hymnary.org website:

1. Sing with all the saints in glory, 
Sing the resurrection song! 
Death and sorrow, earth's dark story, 
To the former days belong. 
All around the clouds are breaking; 
Soon the storms of time shall cease; 
In God's likeness we awaken, 
Knowing everlasting peace. 

2. Oh, what glory, far exceeding 
All that eye has yet perceived! 
Holiest hearts for ages pleading 
Never that full joy conceived. 
God has promised, Christ prepares it; 
There on high our welcome waits.
Ev'ry humble spirit shares it, 
Christ has passed the eternal gates. 

3. Life eternal! Heav'n rejoices; 
Jesus lives who once was dead. 
Shout with joy, O deathless voices!
Child of God, lift up your head! 
Life eternal! Oh, what wonders
Crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
When, amid earth's closing thunders,
Saints shall stand before the throne!

To hear me read the text of the hymn, CLICK HERE.

To hear the hymn sung, CLICK HERE.