Sunday, October 25, 2026
by Joshua L. Mazur, Director of Music
Hymn 551: Rise Up, Ye Saints of God!
Rise Up, Ye Saints of God! was written in 1911 by William Pierson Merrill, a Presbyterian minister serving in Chicago. Originally titled Rise Up, O Men of God, the hymn emerged during a period when many Protestant churches were placing renewed emphasis on Christian service and social responsibility. Merrill wanted to encourage Christians to take an active part in the work of the Church and the needs of their communities.
The text is brief and direct. It calls Christians to devote their strength, time, and abilities to the work of God's Kingdom. Its original language reflected the men's ministry for which it was written, but the version in The Hymnal 1982 addresses the whole congregation as the saints of God. That change is particularly appropriate in a church where every baptized Christian shares in the ministry of Christ.
FESTAL SONG
We sing Merrill's words to FESTAL SONG, composed by William H. Walter, an American organist and church musician, and published in 1872. The tune predates Merrill's text by nearly forty years. Its meter is Short Meter (6.6.8.6), a common pattern in English hymnody that allows texts and tunes written independently to be paired together.
FESTAL SONG is vigorous and straightforward, with a strong sense of forward motion. It is particularly effective as a Recessional Hymn, sending the congregation out with a clear sense of purpose.
The Greatest Commandment
In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus is asked which commandment in the Law is greatest. He answers with two: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. He then declares that the whole Law and the Prophets depend upon these commandments.
Merrill's hymn gives practical expression to that teaching. Love of God and neighbor requires something of us. Our time, abilities, resources, and attention are entrusted to us for purposes beyond our own interests. The hymn's call to service follows naturally from the commandments Jesus identifies as the foundation of faithful living.
There is also something fitting about singing this hymn at All Saints' Church on the Sunday before our patronal feast. The saints are not merely figures from Christian history whom we admire. They are the people of God, called to holiness and service in every generation. When we sing Rise Up, Ye Saints of God, we are addressing ourselves.
What work of love and service is God calling me to undertake?