Improvisation and Hymn for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

 

Improvisation – cantus firmus in double pedal

1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy
health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
brothers and sisters draw near;
praise him in glad adoration!

2 Praise to the Lord, who o’er all
things so wondrously reigneth,
shelters thee under his wings,
yea so gently sustaineth
Hast thou not seen
How thy heart’s longings have been
granted in what he ordaineth?

3 Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper
thy work and defend thee,
surely his goodness and mercy
here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
who with his love doth befriend thee.

4 Praise to the Lord, who when
darkness of sin is abounding,
who, when the godless do triumph,
all virtue confounding.
sheddeth his light,
chaseth the horrors of night,
saints with his mercy surrounding.

5 Praise to the Lord! O, let all that
is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come
now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Improvisation and Hymn for the Fifth Sunday of Easter (AHB 287)

[Short fanfare inprovisation]

1  The strife is o’er, the battle done;
now is the victor’s triumph won;
O let the song of praise be sung!
Alleluia!

2 Death’s mightiest powers have done their worst,
and Jesus hath his foes dispersed.
Let shouts of praise and joy outburst.
Alleluia!

3 On the third morn he rose again
glorious in majesty to reign;
let us awake and join the strain:
Alleluia!

4 He closed the frowning gates of hell;
the bars from heaven’s high portals fell.
Let hymns of praise his triumph tell.
Alleluia!

5 Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death’s dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee.
Alleluia!