“Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” in Prichard’s Famous “Hyfrydol”

“Alleluia! Sing to Jesus” is a text written by William Chatterton Dix in 1866. He wrote this text in celebration of the Lord's Service at Ascension services. Its original title is "Redemption by the Precious Blood" that first appeared in Altar Songs, Verses on the Holy Eucharist in 1867. This song is usually used during communion services due to its beautiful message. The hymn is generally sung in Hyfrydol tune, a piece of famous music composed in 1830 by a Welsh musician, Rowland Hugh Prichard at the age of nineteen.

William C. Dix was born on June 14, 1837, in Bristol. He was the son of a local surgeon named John Dix. At the age of 29, William became fatally ill, resulted in months of suffering confined in his bed. The amazing thing about this traumatic experience is that he wrote almost all his famous hymns during this incident. He was acknowledged for his talent because people considered writing hymns as a challenging thing to do. He died at Cheddar, Somerset, England and buried at his Parish Church in 1898.

The composer, Rowland Hugh Prichard, was born on January 14, 1811, at Graienyn in Merionethshire, Wales. He spent most of his life in the town where he was born and worked as a loom tender’s assistant in Holywell. Rowland published a children’s songbook called Cyfaill y Cantorion (The Singer's Friend) in 1844. “Hyfrydol” was his greatest masterpiece.

The first stanza of the hymn was based on Revelations 5:9, where the “Song to Christ” is found, and it reminds us that the Grace of God finished the work of redemption. The second stanza was based on John 14:18 and Acts 1:9, and it tells us that God is omniscient. He’s with us in Spirit all the time. The third stanza expresses our repentance - that we acknowledged we’re sinners and we need His grace to put peace in our hearts.

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