Christ is the King! O Friends Rejoice - Bell

This is a hymn of praise to Christ the King, and encouragement in faith to the church. It was written originally for use on the Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude (28 October), but it is also very appropriate for the feast of Christ the King.

The words were written by English Anglican priest and later bishop, theologian and writer George Kennedy Allen Bell (1883-1958).

The first line was originally "Christ is the King, O friends upraise" - but this, along with various other lyrics, has been altered through common use and across various publications.

The hymn was originally written at the request of the editor of Songs of Praise Enlarged in 1931 to fit the Welsh tune LLANGOEDMOR. This is a 6-line tune, and thus Bell’s hymn was originally written as four 6-line stanzas.

Later publications adapted it to three lines with refrain, setting it first to:

GELOBT SEI GOTT (Vulpius) - still the most-commonly used tune
CHRISTUS REX by Welch-American composer David McKinley Williams (1887-1978)
BEVERLY (Anders by Charles R. Anders, 1978

This change of form is responsible for certain verses not making sense unless they are understood in reference to the preceding verse (eg verses 3 or 4 can only be sung after 2).

Downloads

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Setting for SATB choir, organ, timpani, trumpets and trombones

Examples

Massed choir with orchestra

Choir with organ - tune TBA

Singer with piano

Choir with organ, tune GELOBT SEI GOTT (Vulpius)

Choir with organ - professional recording

Instrumental - organ

Instrumental - piano. Tune CHRISTUS REX

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

1. Christ is the King! O friends, rejoice;
brothers and sisters, with one voice
Let the world know he is your choice.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

2. Oh magnify the Lord, and raise
Anthems of joy and holy praise
For Christ's brave saints of ancient days.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

3. They with a faith forever new
Followed the King, and round him drew
Thousands of faithful servants true.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

4. O Christian women, Christian men,
All the world over, seek again
The way disciples followed then.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

5. Christ through all ages is the same:
Place the same hope in his great name,
With the same faith his word proclaim.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

6. Let love's unconquerable might
Your scattered companies unite
In service to the Lord of light.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

7. So shall God's will on earth be done,
New lamps be lit, new tasks begun,
And the whole church at last be one.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!