Scripture Verse

Why seek ye the living among the dead? Luke 24:5

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Meredith (1872–1962)

Words: Jes­sie Mac­Don­ald, in Sun­day School Hymns No. 2 (New York: Tul­lar-Me­re­dith, 1912), page 233.

Music: Ar­ranged from Giu­sep­pe Ver­di by Is­aac H. Me­re­dith (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)

Lyrics

Silent a gar­den rest­eth in sha­dow—
Shadow the moon­light can­not dis­pel;
Soldiers in ar­mor, grim Ro­man sol­diers,
Watch o’er a sleep­er, guard­ing Him well.
Over Ju­dea late­ly He trod
On er­rands of love to lead men to God.

Refrain

O blest East­er sto­ry, O fore­taste of glo­ry,
Triumphant o’er death, Je­sus rose from the dead;
Redeemer and Sav­ior! Ex­alt­ed for­ev­er!
Repeat the blest words, He is ris’n as He said!

Stillness un­brok­en! Far in the dist­ance
White gleam the road­ways, mid­night has sped;
Lo! earth is shak­en! God sends an an­gel!
Soldiers in ter­ror fall as if dead!
Seal, thou art brok­en, He who was there
Is migh­ty to save! His pow­er you de­clare!

Refrain

Morning ap­proach­eth, earth’s fair­est morn­ing,
Bright in the hea­vens, glo­ry ap­pears;
Visions of an­gels seen in the dawn­ing,
Voices of an­gels calm­ing earth’s fears.
Why seek the liv­ing here ’mid the dead?
For Je­sus the Lord is ris’n as He said.

Refrain

He lives, the Sav­ior lives!
He lives, the Sav­ior lives!