Scripture Verse

The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Matthew 28:5–6

Introduction

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems (Lon­don: Stra­han, 1739), pag­es 209–10. The al­le­lu­ias were a lat­er ad­di­tion to fit the mu­sic.

Wesley’s words were writ­ten for the first wor­ship ser­vice at the Wes­ley­an Cha­pel in Lon­don. The cha­pel, on the site of a for­mer ir­on foun­dry, be­came known as the Foun­dry Meet­ing House, and this hymn was in­clud­ed in the Foun­dry Col­lect­ion. This ex­ub­er­ant song is one of the most po­pu­lar East­er hymns in the Eng­lish lang­uage.

Music: East­er Hymn, com­pos­er un­known, in Ly­ra Da­vi­di­ca (Lon­don: 1708) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

illustration
The Resurrection
Carl H. Bloch (1834–1890)

Christ the Lord is ris­en to­day, Al­le­lu­ia!
Sons of men and an­gels say, Al­le­lu­ia!
Raise your joys and tri­umphs high, Al­le­lu­ia!
Sing ye heav’ns, and earth re­ply, Al­le­lu­ia!

Love’s re­deem­ing work is done, Al­le­lu­ia!
Fought the fight, the bat­tle won, Al­le­lu­ia!
Lo! Our sun’s eclipse is o’er, Al­le­lu­ia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Al­le­lu­ia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Al­le­lu­ia!
Christ has burst the gates of hell, Al­le­lu­ia!
Death in vain for­bids His rise, Al­le­lu­ia!
Christ has op­ened pa­ra­dise, Al­le­lu­ia!

Lives again our glo­ri­ous king, Al­le­lu­ia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Al­le­lu­ia!
Dying once He all doth save, Al­le­lu­ia!*
Where thy vic­to­ry, O grave? Al­le­lu­ia!

Soar we now, where Christ has led, Al­le­lu­ia!
Following our ex­alt­ed head, Al­le­lu­ia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Al­le­lu­ia!
Ours the cross—the grave—the skies, Al­le­lu­ia!

What tho’ once we per­ished all, Al­le­lu­ia!
Partners in our par­ents’ fall, Al­le­lu­ia!
Second life we all re­ceive, Al­le­lu­ia!
In our heav’n­ly Ad­am live, Al­le­lu­ia!

Ris’n with Him, we up­ward move, Al­le­lu­ia!
Still we seek the things above, Al­le­lu­ia!
Still pur­sue, and kiss the Son, Al­le­lu­ia!
Seated on His Fa­ther’s throne, Al­le­lu­ia!

Scarce on earth a thought be­stow, Al­le­lu­ia!
Dead to all we leave be­low, Al­le­lu­ia!
Heav’n our aim, and loved abode, Al­le­lu­ia!
Hid our life with Christ in God, Al­le­lu­ia!

Hid till Christ our life ap­pear, Al­le­lu­ia!
Glorious in His mem­bers here, Al­le­lu­ia!
Joined to Him, we then shall shine, Al­le­lu­ia!
All im­mor­tal, all di­vine, Al­le­lu­ia!

Hail the Lord of earth and Hea­ven, Al­le­lu­ia!
Praise to Thee by both be giv­en, Al­le­lu­ia!
Thee we greet tri­um­phant now, Al­le­lu­ia!
Hail the re­sur­rect­ion Thou, Al­le­lu­ia!

King of Glo­ry, Soul of Bliss, Al­le­lu­ia!
Everlasting life is this, Al­le­lu­ia!
Thee to know, Thy pow­er to prove, Al­le­lu­ia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Al­le­lu­ia!

*Changed to Once He died our souls to save in 4th ed­it­ion (1743) & 5th ed­it­ion (1756)