Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands

438

1 Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands,
   for our offenses given;
   but now at God’s right hand He stands
   and brings us light from heaven.
   Therefore let us joyful be
   and sing to God right thankfully
   loud songs of hallelujah.
   Hallelujah!

2 It was a strange and dreadful strife
   when life and death contended;
   the victory remained with life,
   the reign of death was ended.
   Holy Scripture plainly saith
   that death is swallowed up by death;
   his sting is lost forever.
   Hallelujah!

3 Here the true Paschal Lamb we see,
   whom God so freely gave us;
   He died on the accursed tree-
   so strong His love to save us.
   See His blood upon our door;
   faith points to it, death passes o'er,
   and Satan cannot harm us.
   Hallelujah!

4 So let us keep the festival
   whereto the Lord invites us;
   Christ is Himself the Joy of all,
   the Sun that warms and lights us.
   By His grace He doth impart
   eternal sunshine to the heart;
   the night of sin is ended.
   Hallelujah!
                         Martin Luther
                         Trans. by Richard Massie
                         The Methodist Hymnal, 1964 edition