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Phelps 12s & 11s

By Aldo Thomas Ceresa

Key
A major
Type
Folk hymn
Time signature
6
8
Composed
2008–12
Text
William W. Phelps, 1835

Listen to recordings


Description

Named for William W. Phelps (1792-1872), the author of the text. Phelps was a cousin of Joel Harmon, early American tunesmith, singing master, and compiler of The Columbian Sacred Minstrel (Northampton, MA; 1809), and for whom my tune Harmon was named. Both were also distant cousins of mine, as it turns out.


Text

The Spirit of God like a fire is burning;
The latter day glory begins to come forth;
The visions and blessings of old are returning;
The angels are coming to visit the earth.

We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven:
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever: amen and amen!

How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion
Shall lie down together without any ire;
And Ephraim be crown'd with his blessings in Zion,
As Jesus descends with his chariots of fire!

We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven:
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever: amen and amen!