All the World shall come to serve Thee (Rosh Hashanah Hymn)

Today is Rosh HaShanah. Literally this means "head of the year." It is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is "Yom Teruah," literally "day of shouting or blasting." It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days, the "Days of Awe", as specified by Leviticus 23:23–25, that occur in the late summer/early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. The High Holy Days comprise of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.

Every year, I've done something for this great festival, but like a lot of other "special days," I guess I've used up much of stuff, so, I didn't have anything to do in observance of the day.

The hymn, "All the world shall come to serve Thee" always ended the great morning service, and the one used at the temple I played at was by Binder. I couldn't find that one, but I found another rousing one, composed by Leon M. Kramer. It probably sounds MUCH more "Protestant" than it does "Jewish," but it's similar to the one I played for many years.

The words are from the Hebrew "Vaye'ethayu," as translated by Israel Zangwill.

The score is attached below.

I wish all our Jewish members a sweet year, and all my listeners peace and happiness.

The text is as follows:

All the world shall come to serve Thee
And bless Thy glorious name,
And Thy righteousness triumphant
The islands shall acclaim.
Yea, the peoples shall go seeking
Who knew Thee not before,
And the ends of earth shall praise Thee
And tell Thy greatness o’er.

They shall build for Thee their altars,
Their idols overthrown,
And their graven gods shall shame them
As they turn to Thee alone.
They shall worship Thee at sunrise
And feel Thy kingdom’s might
And impart Thy understanding
To those astray in night.

With the coming of Thy kingdom
The hills shall shout with song,
And the islands laugh exultant
That they to God belong.
And through all Thy congregations,
So loud Thy praise shall ring,
That the utmost peoples, hearing,
Shall hail Thee crownèd king.