This hymn was written in 1866 by William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898; see SDAH 123), and appeared first in Altar Songs, 1867, in praise of Jesus’ ascension to heaven after the Resurrection. It carried the title “Redemption by the Precious Blood.” The first two lines of each stanza began with a jubilant “Alleluia,” the Latin form of the Hebrew word hallelujah, which means literally “praise ye Jehovah.” Unusual for a hymn about Jesus’ victorious ascension, this one, with the third line of the final stanza, “Intercessor, Friend of sinners, earth’s Redeemer, plead for me,” follows the Savior into His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. Dix also wrote SDAH 123, “As With Gladness Men of Old,” and SDAH 141, “What Child Is This?” 

The tune name HYFRYDOL means “good cheer” and was written before Rowland Pritchard was 20 years old. Born January 14, 1811, in Graienyn, near Bala in the Cambrian Mountains of north Wales, he was privileged to be raised in an atmosphere of song. His grandfather was the famous bard Rowland Huw. 

The younger Rowland evidently was in poor circumstances, for he spent the final seven years of his life as a loom-tender’s assistant in the Welsh Flannel Manufacturing Company mill at Holywell, Wales. This was some 30 miles northeast of his birthplace, where he had lived most of his life. He died on January 25,1887. 

Rowland was blessed with a good voice and was much in demand as a soloist and song leader. A number of his hymn tunes appeared in Welsh periodicals, but this one is considered his best. It has gone around the world in the hymnals of nearly all churches, with at least a dozen different texts. In spite of the fact that the range encompasses only five notes (with an extra sixth note in the climax phrase), the tune is strong and a joy to sing.  The arrangement in SDAH is by Melvin West (1930- ; see Biographies). HYFRYDOL is used again with alternate harmony for SDAH 204 with “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.”