John 20:20
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Charles Wesley wrote this hymn in 1739, in celebration of the first service of London's first Wesleyan Chapel. This chapel was known as the Foundry Meeting House, as it was a deserted foundry. Charles Wesley purchased the building to house his growing number of converts.
Originally published in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739, this hymn was eleven four-line stanzas long. Martin Madan's Collection of Psalms and Hymns, 1760, included eight stanzas, with many lines rearranged. Only four stanzas are commonly sung now.
The "Alleluia" which we sing at the end of each line was not part of the original hymn, it was added later by some unknown editor, to better fit the tune. "Alleluia," or "Hallelujah" is a common expression of praise, "Praise ye the Lord," from the early Christian Church. Early Christians would greet each other Easter morning, "Alleluia, the Lord is risen!" Jerome, who died in 420, was an important leader of the early church, who translated the Bible into Latin. He wrote that the very ceilings of houses of worship were often shaken with the reverberating "Hallelujahs" when believers sang their praises to God.
Listen to it here: Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
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