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Advent Hymnals

Church Hymnal 77

Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones

Words: Athelstan RileyMusic: Ralph Vaughan WilliamsTune: Lasst uns erfreuen8.8.4.4.8.8.8.4

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1Ye watchers and ye holy ones,
Bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones,
Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,
Virtues, archangels, angels' choirs,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!

2O higher than the cherubim,
More glorious than the seraphim,
Lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou bearer of the eternal Word,
Most gracious, magnify the Lord,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!

3Respond, ye souls in endless rest,
Ye patriarchs and prophets blessed,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong,
All saints triumphant, raise the song
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!

Meter
8.8.4.4.8.8.8.4
Scripture
Revelation 4:6-8; Luke 1:46-47

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
8.8.8.9.8.8.8.4 · the hymnal prints 8.8.4.4.8.8.8.4
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 48% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCDECCC
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary · * a word sung short, as “heav’n”

Verse 1

Ye watchers and ye holy ones,//˘˘//˘/8A
Bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones,/?????˘/8B
Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!/˘///˘/˘8C
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,//˘/˘???/9D*
Virtues, archangels, angels' choirs,/˘//˘/˘/8E
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Alleluia!/˘/˘4C

Verse 2

O higher than the cherubim,˘/˘˘˘???8A
More glorious than the seraphim,//˘˘˘/˘/8B*
Lead their praises, Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Thou bearer of the eternal Word,//˘˘˘˘/˘/9D
Most gracious, magnify the Lord,//˘/˘/˘/8E
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8C
Alleluia!/˘/˘4C

Verse 3

Respond, ye souls in endless rest,˘///˘/˘/8A
Ye patriarchs and prophets blessed,//˘/˘/˘/8A
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8B
Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong,//˘///˘/8C
All saints triumphant, raise the song//˘/˘/˘/8C
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8B
Alleluia! Alleluia!/˘/˘/˘/˘8B
Alleluia!/˘/˘4B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.