DOCTRINES >> ETERNAL LIFE
SDAH 421
For all the saints
who from their labors rest,
Who thee by faith
before the world confessed.
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For Worship Leaders
Make each hymn more meaningful with these helpful tools: Short, ready-to-use hymn introductions for church bulletins, multiple ways to introduce a hymn based on your worship theme and in-depth history and insights to enrich your song service.
Hymn Spotlight: For All the Saints
Written by William W. How in 1864, this hymn honors the “cloud of witnesses” from Hebrews 11—faithful men and women who lived and died proclaiming Christ. Their steadfast example calls believers today to perseverance until we, too, join that unbroken fellowship in God’s kingdom. Paired with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ majestic tune SINE NOMINE, it swells with triumph and hope, pointing us to the day when all the saints will gather in victory around the throne.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
This hymn by William Walsam, How (1,823-18,97; see SDAH 110) first appeared in Hymns for Saints’ Days, 1864, a book compiled by “A Layman.” The layman was Horatio Nelson, grandson of the brother of Lord Nelson of Trafalgar fame. The hymn was entitled “A Cloud of Witnesses,” referring, of course, to the heroes of faith mentioned by the apostle Paul in Hebrews 11, together with all their spiritual descendants who have proclaimed, witnessed, and died for the Christian faith. Their noble example constitutes an ever-present challenge to Christians today. There were 11 stanzas in the original hymn.
SINE NOMINE (Without a Name) was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958; see Biographies) especially for these words, and named by him. It was first used in English Hymnal, 1906, where the composer modestly marked it “Anon.” It is considered one of the greatest hymn tunes of the twentieth century.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
For all the saints
who from their labors rest,
Who thee by faith
before the world confessed.
Thy name, O Jesus,
be forever blest.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
2
Thou wast their Rock,
their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their captain
in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear,
their one true light.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
3
O may Thy soldiers,
faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints
who nobly fought of old,
And win with them
the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
4
And when the strife is fierce,
the warfare long,
Steals on the ear
the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again,
and arms are strong.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
5
From earth’s wide bounds,
from ocean’s farthest coast,
Thro’ gates of pearl
streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) John 17:10 (b) Ps 18:26 (c) 2 Tim 4:8 (e) Rev 21:21
Author
William W. How (1823-1897)
Performance Suggestions
Unison
Copyright
Music from The English Hymnal by permission of Oxford University Press
Hymn Tune
SINE NOMINE
Metrical Number
10.10.10.Alleluias
Composer
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Alternate Tune
ENGELBERG, SDAH 32
