Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (ELW 392)
1 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
his the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph,
his the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus, out of ev’ry nation
has redeemed us by his blood.”
2 Alleluia! Not as orphans
are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! he is near us;
faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received him
when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget his promise:
“I am with you evermore”?
3 Alleluia! Bread of heaven,
here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia! here the sinful
flee to you from day to day.
Intercessor, friend of sinners,
earth’s redeemer, hear our plea
where the songs of all the sinless
sweep across the crystal sea.
4 Alleluia! King eternal,
Lord omnipotent we own:
Alleluia! born of Mary,
earth your footstool, heav’n your throne.
As within the veil you entered,
robed in flesh, our great high priest,
here on earth both priest and victim
in the eucharistic feast.
5 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
his the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph,
his the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
thunder like a mighty flood;
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation
has redeemed us by his blood.”
Devotion
“Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” is an ascension hymn. Though Ascension Day is next week, Christ’s Ascension is a part of the Easter proclamation. This hymn’s strength is that it clearly proclaims the Risen Christ’s work for all people
Verse one acknowledges the greatness and triumph of the resurrected Christ for the whole cosmos and for all human beings. It proclaims Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil, to use Luther’s terms.
Verse four focuses on both the personal and cosmic dimensions of faith. Personal faith claims Christ as Lord. This Jesus is both earthly and heavenly as he proceeds from God’s realm to come to us in the earthly experience of Holy Communion. This gift from Jesus makes us know the heavenly reality of God’s forgiveness. What a wonder! The risen, ascended Christ works here and now for our eternal welfare as we gather at his table. The only way to respond to him and this work is with our praise and “Alleluia!”
Prayer
Alleluia! We sing and pray to you, praising you for your utter kindness and self- sacrifice for us undeserving sinners. Your victory over death and evil applies to all of us here and now. How great you are! Amen.