Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

LSB #477 "Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Corinthians 15:54b-57, Isaiah 25:7-9, Revelation 21:4, 2 Timothy 1:10

1 Corinthians 15:54b-57:  "'Death is swallowed up in victory.'  55 'O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?'  56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Isaiah 25:7-9:  "7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.  8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.  9 It will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.  This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.'"

Revelation 21:4:  "4 'He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'"

2 Timothy 1:10:  "and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel"

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Stanzas one and three are public domain:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Hearts to heav'n and voices raise:
Sing to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to God a hymn of praise;
He who on the cross a victim
For the world's salvation bled -
Jesus Christ, the King of Glory,
Now is risen from the dead.

Alleluia, alleluia!
Glory be to God on high:
Alleluia to the Savior
Who has gained the victory;
Alleluia to the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity!
Alleluia, alleluia
To the triune Majesty!
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All four of the cited verses mention Jesus' defeat of death, and this appears most clearly at the beginning of the second verse:  "Alleluia, Christ is risen! / Death at last has met defeat."

"Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation" from Isaiah 25:9 seems to appear in the numerous "Alleluia"s and in the first half of the first verse:  "Hearts to heav'n and voices raise: / Sing to God a hymn of gladness, / Sing to God a hymn of praise."