Come Let Us Drink of that New River

This is a hymn about baptism (verse 1) and Easter / resurrection. The words are based on a hymn written in Greek in the 8th century by St. John of Damascus.

It was written by English Anglican priest, scholar and hymn writer, John Mason Neale (1818–1866).

With meter 10.9.10.9, tunes it is set to include:

NEW RIVER by Kenneth D. Smith, b. 1928
ASPIRATION (Mendelssohn) by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)
GREAT FALLS by American Roman Catholic organist and composer Leo Nestor (1948-2019)
an unnamed setting by Raymond H Haan.

Downloads

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Downloadable unison choir arrangement by Raymond H Haan

SATB choir setting with organ and chamber orchestra - GREAT FALLS by Leo Nestor

Examples

Choir with organ, tune GREAT FALLS

Lyrics

Traditional language

Come and let us drink of that new river,
Not from barren rock divinely poured,
But the fount of life that is for ever
From the sepulchre of Christ the Lord.

All the world hath bright illumination,—
Heav’n and earth and things beneath the earth:
‘Tis the festival of all creation:
Christ hath ris’n, who gave creation birth.

Yesterday with Thee in burial lying,
Now to-day with Thee aris’n I rise;
Yesterday the partner of Thy dying,
With Thyself upraise me to the skies.

Modern English

Come and let us drink of that new river,
Not from barren rock divinely poured,
But the fount of life that is for ever
From the sepulchre of Christ the Lord.

All the world has bright illumination,—
Heav’n and earth and things beneath the earth:
‘Tis the festival of all creation:
Christ is ris’n, who gave creation birth.

Yesterday with You in burial lying,
Now to-day with You e aris’n I rise;
Yesterday the partner of Your dying,
With Yourself upraise me to the skies.