Praise to God for Saints and Martyrs

This is a hymn of praise which is suitable for All Saint's Day.

The words were written by English Anglican-raised, United Reformed Church minister, community health worker and hymn writer Michael Forster (1946-2023).

With meter 87.87 D, tunes it has been set to include:

• Beethoven's ODE TO JOY - which is useful for when a hymn about the saints set to a familiar tune is needed.
• EBENEZER (Williams) aka TON-Y BOTEL by Welch composer  Thomas John Williams (1869-1944).

Downloads

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Downloadable leadsheet for ODE TO JOY

Downloadable arrangement for flute and piano: EBENEZER

Examples

Small choir with organ 

- video on Facebook, not possible to embed

Choir with organ, tune EBENEZER

Cantor with organ - click on the video to watch it inside YouTube

Instrumental version - piano, tune ODE TO JOY

Lyrics

They lyrics are copyright. They are available in some in-print hymnals (eg Catholic Hymns Old and New, 2009 edition), and also in this parish posting.

A rough outline is:

Praise to God for saints and martyrs inspiration to us all;... 

How we long to share their story, faithful in response to grace ... 

Saints and martyrs, now in glory ... 

Praise and honour to the Father, adoration to the Son ...

See more

• Hymns for All Saints Day
• Praise hymns

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY
1 Praise to God for saints and martyrs, inspiration to us all;
In the presence of our Saviour, their example we recall:
Lives of holy contemplation, sacrifice or simple love,
Witnesses to truth and justice, honoured here and crowned above.

2 How we long to share their story, faithful in response to grace,
signs of God’s eternal presence in the realm of time and space.
Now, their pilgrimage completed, cross of Christ their only boast,
They unite their own rejoicing with the great angelic host.

3 Saints and martyrs, now in glory, robed before your Saviour’s face,
let us join your intercession for God’s holy human race.
Let us join with you in singing Mary’s liberation song,
Till a just and free creation sings, with the angelic throng.

4 Praise and honour to the Father, adoration to the Son,
with the all-embracing Spirit wholly Three and holy one.
All the universe, united in complete diversity,
Sings as one your endless praises, ever-blessèd Trinity!