Sunday, 21 April 2019

He Arose



And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. – Matthew 28.5-7

I miss a lot of resurrection hymns. Admittedly it is my own fault because I haven’t taught them to our church. I never think about them till the week before.

One of the songs I really miss is the classic ‘He Arose’ written by the Robert Lowry in the mid 19th century. It is the combination of words and music that really makes it special. Here is what he wrote:

Low in the grave He lay—
  Jesus my Saviour!
Waiting the coming day—
  Jesus my Lord!
         
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed—
  Jesus, my Saviour!
Vainly they seal the dead—
  Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep his prey—
  Jesus, my Saviour!
He tore the bars away—
  Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Low in the grace He lay, waiting the coming day
Vainly they watch His bed, vainly they seal the dead
Death cannot keep Him there, He tore the bars away

He arose
He defeated death
He lives with His saints today!

That’s what we celebrate this Resurrection Day – the defeat of death and victory over sin and the grave.

By the way, I am teaching this hymn in church this morning! 

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