Lift Up Your Heads - Advent Processional
Unison or 2-part choir, congregation, organ, fiddle, trombone, handbells, hand drums, bell tree, tambourine, and finger cymbals -- for the church with the eclectic instrumentarium! The music is based on an Irish fiddle tune. Modal, medieval, and tons of fun! Text is from a German chorale paraphrase of Psalm 24 translated by Catherine Winkworth, with additional verses from Veni Emmanuel translated by John Mason Neale.
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;
Behold, the King of Glory waits.
The King of Kings is drawing near,
The Savior of the World is here.
Fling wide the portals of your heart;
Make it a temple, set apart
From earthly use for heaven’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
Redeemer, come, with us abide;
Our hearts to Thee we open wide;
Let us Thy inner presence feel;
Thy grace and love in us reveal.
Thy Holy Spirit lead us on
Until our glorious goal is won;
Eternal praise, eternal fame
Be offered, Savior, to Thy Name!
O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
O come, Desire of Nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid thou our sad divisions cease,
And be thyself our King of peace.