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SDA HYMNAL (1985) WORSHIP

SDAH 023: Now the Joyful Bells A-Ringing

WORSHIP >> Adoration & Praise

SDAH 23

Now the joyful bells a-ring,
All ye mountains of the Lord!
Lift our hearts like birds a-winging,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

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For Worship Leaders

Hymn Spotlight: Now the Joyful Bells A-Ringing

A bright and celebratory hymn, Now the Joyful Bells A-Ringing is based on the Welsh New Year’s Eve carol, Nos Galan—a melody widely recognized today as Deck the Halls. While originally a secular folk tune, it has been adapted into a joyful call to worship, celebrating the arrival of Christ with gladness and song.

The lyrics were written by Katherine Emily Roberts (1877–1962) and first appeared in the Oxford Book of Carols(1928). The tune’s Welsh heritage reflects a rich musical tradition where instrumental melodies were often paired with fresh lyrics to celebrate festive and sacred occasions.

Interestingly, Mozart appreciated this melody so much that he used it in a duet for violin and piano around 1700. The hymn’s lively setting, arranged by Wayne Hooper, makes it a joyful addition to worship, especially in the Christmas and New Year season.

As we sing today, may our hearts be lifted in celebration and gratitude, ringing out the good news of Jesus Christ!

📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.

Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):

In the Oxford Book of Carols, 1928, labeled “Winter,” this text and tune are presented with the note “Words based on the Welsh New Year’s Eve secular Carol, NOS GALAN. On New Year’s Eve or Day, stanza 3, lines 1 and 5 may be changed to ‘Now we all the New Year sharing.’”

Alan Luff, secretary of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland and an authority on Welsh hymns, gives us the following about this carol: “GALAN is from ‘calan,’ which is from the Latin ‘calends,’ the first of the month. Its meaning has become narrowed down until it refers to New Year’s Day. NOS means night or eve, thus ‘New Year’s Eve’ is right. . . . Please notice that the usual Welsh words are relatively modern and the English words normally used are by no means a translation. The tune may be old, but it has come to us through the harp tradition so that it is now a very straight major mode tune. Many of these tunes either were instrumental melodies or lost their words [e.g., “All Through the Night,” “David of the White Rock”] The true vocal carol tradition in Welsh also was very free in writing new words–in fact, there are no ‘original’ words.”

Katherine Emily Roberts was born in 1877 at Leicester, England. She was educated privately at Peterborough and studied singing in London and Paris, looking forward to a professional career. In 1913 she married R.E. Roberts, and in 1933 was the organizing secretary to the Rutland Rural Community Council. She wrote a book of three historical pageants; several plays, and, with her husband, a history of Peterborough and Carol Stories, 1923.

This paraphrase of the Welsh carol was printed in the Oxford Book of Carols, 1928. In the early printings of SDAH, the birth and death dates for Katherine Roberts are incorrectly given as 1879-1953. The correct dates are 1877-1962, at Ashford, in Middlesex.

Mozart liked this melody well enough to use it in duet for violin and piano composed around the year 1700. The arrangement by Wayne Hooper (1920-    ).

Text
Text


1
Now the joyful bells a-ring,
All ye mountains of the Lord!
Lift our hearts like birds a-winging,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Now our festal season bringing
Kinsmen all to bide and board,
Sets our cheery voices singing;
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

2
Dear our home as dear none other;
Where the mountains praise the Lord!
Gladly here our care we smother;
Where the mountains praise the Lord!
Here we know that Christ our brother
Binds us all as by a cord:
He was born of Mary mother
Where the mountains praise the Lord!

3
Cold the year, new whiteness wearing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Peace, good will to us a-bearing,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!
Now we all God’s goodness sharing
Break the bread and sheath the Sword:
Bright our hearths the signal flaring,
All ye mountains, praise the Lord!

Hymn Info
Hymn Info


Biblical Reference
(a) Ps 148:9 (b) Matt 2:11 (c) Luke 2:14

Paraphrase
K.E. Roberts (1879-1962)

Topic
Welsh Carol

Copyright
Words from Oxford Book of Carols by permission of Oxford University Press. Arrangement copyright 1984 by Wayne Hooper

Hymn Tune
NOS GALAN

Metrical Number
8.7.8.7.D.

Arranger
Wayne Hooper (1920-2007)

Year Composed
1984

Theme
ADORATION & PRAISE

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