Scripture Verse

O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15:55

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Ho­ræ Ly­ri­cæ, se­cond edi­tion, 1709, alt. Also see He Dies! The Heav’nly Lover Dies!

Music: Storrs Ti­mo­thy R. Mat­thews, 1883 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

  • Orwell Lo­well Ma­son (1792–1872) (🔊 pdf nwc)
  • Rockaway har­mo­nized by D. S. Ar­nold in The Wes­ley­an Me­tho­dist Hym­nal (Sy­ra­cuse New York: Wes­ley­an Me­tho­dist Pub­lish­ing As­so­cia­tion, 1910), num­ber 86 (🔊 pdf nwc)
  • Salem (Har­mon­ia) com­pos­er unk­nown, prob­ab­ly 19th Cen­tu­ry (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
Timothy R. Matthews (1826–1910)

Lyrics

He dies! the Friend of sin­ners dies!
Lo! Salem’s daugh­ters weep around;
A so­lemn dark­ness veils the skies,
A sud­den trem­bling shakes the ground.

Come, saints, and drop a tear or two
For Him who groaned be­neath your load:
He shed a thou­sand drops for you,
A thou­sand drops of rich­er blood.

Here’s love and grief be­yond de­gree:
The Lord of Glo­ry dies for men!
But lo! what sud­den joys we see,
Jesus, the dead, re­vives again!

The ris­ing God for­sakes the tomb;
The tomb in vain for­bids His rise;
Cherubic le­gions guard Him home,
And shout Him wel­come to the skies.

Break off your fears, ye saints, and tell
How high your great de­liv’rer reigns;
Sing how He spoiled the hosts of hell,
And led the mon­ster death in chains!

Say, Live for­ev­er, won­drous King!
Born to re­deem, and strong to save;

Then ask the mon­ster, Where’s thy sting?
And, Where’s thy vic­to­ry, boast­ing grave?