Hymn Guide: Ye Holy Angels Bright
“Ye Holy Angels Bright” is a majestic exhortation to the everlasting praise of God, even in the midst of persecution or trial. Inspired by Psalm 148, it addresses multiple categories of creation: angels, saints in heaven, saints on earth, and finally the singer’s individual soul. Richard Baxter, a 17th-century Anglican of the Puritan party, composed the words in the years following his expulsion from the church and subsequent harassment, impoundment, imprisonment, and slander. Bitterness might have consumed Baxter, but instead, he held onto the Lord and gave to the church (that persecuted him) one of her great hymns of praise.
The tune, DARWALL, takes its name from Anglican clergymen and amateur hymnodist John Darwall. Darwall wrote musical settings for every psalm in the Brady & Tate metrical psalter. This tune, originally for Psalm 148, is now used in this setting and for other hymns, especially “Rejoice the Lord is King.” The majestic tune, combined with themes of angels and the invisible realm, makes this hymn especially suitable for Michaelmas, parish processions, and at the burial service.
Sponsored
Verse by Verse
Verse 1
Ye holy angels bright
Who wait at God’s right right hand
Or through the realms of light
Fly at your Lord’s command
Assist our song, for else the theme
Too high doth seem for mortal tongue
Like Psalm 148, the hymn opens with a direct address to the angels and an exhortation for them to praise God. Or to be more precise, the exhortation is that the angels would assist us in our songs of praise. Why do we turn to angels for this kind of assistance? Because in the scriptures the angels are always singing, from their joy at the creation (Job 38:7), to their joy at the birth of Christ (Luke 2:14), to their joy in heaven (Revelation 5:11-12).
Notice also that the verse emphasizes the obedience of the angels to the word and command of God. Psalm 103 is being referenced here, which offers a similar exhortation to the angels:
Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!
Psalm 103:20
Obedience and praise are linked together, not only because God commands us to praise him, but also because those who are obedient to God rejoice to praise him. In other words, there is an organic relationship between obedience and praise. God’s word always leads to worship.
Verse 2
Ye blessed souls at rest
Who ran this earthly race
And now from sin released
Behold the Savior’s face
His praises sound as in his sight
With sweet delight ye do abound
The second verse draws upon a moment in Baxter’s early ministry, when he fell ill and reflected deeply on the hope of heaven. It was at this time that he wrote his book, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest.
The verse also draws from the book of Revelation, which depicts the elders in heaven and the great multitude from all nations singing and praising the Lamb. There are multiple such passages, including this one from Revelation 7:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Revelation 7:9-10
As we run our earthly race, we should frequently pause to commune with these blessed souls and share their rest in the sweet delight of praising God.
Verse 3
Ye saints who toil below
Adore your heavenly king
And onward as you go
Some joyful anthem sing
Take what he gives and praise him still
Through good or ill who ever lives
Notice how the progression of creatures has moved from those who are happy in heaven to those who struggle on earth. Consider the first lines of the first three stanzas:
- Ye holy angels bright
- Ye blessed souls at rest
- Ye saints who toil below
When Baxter wrote this hymn, he was in an especially toilsome time. He was a widely respected clergyman in his prime, liked by both sides during the English Civil War, and also a leading participant in the Savoy Conference of 1661. However, he fell on hard times after refusing to conform to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
By all rights, he should have been made a bishop; instead, he was persecuted for illegal preaching and even spent 18 months in jail. Baxter himself was an example of one who praised God still through good or ill.
Verse 4
The most powerful moment in the hymn is the beginning of the fourth verse, in which we shift from addressing “ye” other creatures and turn to address our own individual souls.
My soul bear thou thy part
Triumph in God above
And with a well-tuned heart
Sing thou the songs of love
Let all thy days, till life shall end
Whate’er he send be filled with praise
Every soul has a part to sing in the great chorus of praise to God. Moreover, even in the midst of persecution, we can “triumph in God above.” We draw strength when we recognize the choir around us: the angels, the Church Triumphant in heaven, and the Church Militant on earth. These tune our hearts so we are ready, with clarity and fresh strength, to sing the songs of love.
Extra Verses
Baxter’s original version had 16 verses, including multiple that reflected more deeply on his season of loss. Here I include four of these additional verses that you might add, accordingly to taste:
Though I lose friends and wealth,
And bear reproach and shame,
Though I lose ease and health
Still met me praise God’s Name.
That fear and pain, which would destroy
My thanks and joy, do thou restrain.
Though human help depart,
And flesh draw near to dust
Let faith keep up my heart,
To love God true and just:
And all my days, let no disease
Cause me to cease his joyful praise
Away distrustful care!
I have thy promise, Lord.
To banish all despair,
I have thy oath and word.
And therefore I shall see thy face,
And there thy grace, shall magnify.
With thy triumphant flock;
Then I shall numbered be,
Built on th’ eternal rock,
His glory we shall see.
The heav’ns so high with praise shall ring,
And all shall sing in harmony.
On Video
The first video is from Manchester Cathedral, and performed with congregation, organ, and brass. The second video is a sublime choral motet expanding on the hymn, by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, performed at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.
Image: Christ in the Sepulcher, Guarded by Angels, by William Blake, courtesy of the Blake Archive. Digitally edited by Peter Johnston.
Hymn Guide: Amazing Grace
“Amazing Grace” is a universal anthem of God’s grace to sinners. Now sung all over the world, it began as the personal testimony of John Newton, Anglican priest and former slave trader. Like Paul and the woman with the alabaster jar, Newton loved God much, because he had been forgiven much. Newton’s hymn traveled across…
Hymn Guide: O Sacred Head
“O Sacred Head” is a deeply moving devotional hymn about the Passion of Christ. It explores and celebrates the paradox that Jesus’ suffering is both ugly, in its external form, and also beautiful, in its salvific love. The hymn is most fitting to be sung during Lent, Holy Week, the Stations of the Cross, alongside funerals,…
