Scripture Verse

Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Luke 24:5–6

Introduction

portrait
Julia H. Johnston (1849–1919)

Words: Ju­lia H. John­ston, in Bi­ble Stu­dy Songs, by Ber­tha F. Vel­la & Da­ni­el Tow­ner (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Pil­grim Press, 1899), page 116.

Music: Da­ni­el B. Tow­ner (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of John­ston,

portrait
Daniel Towner (1850–1919)

Lyrics

Softly the light of the beau­ti­ful morn­ing
Fell on the gar­den, all smil­ing with bloom,
When, in the dawn, with­out trum­pet of warn­ing,
Angels des­cend­ed to op­en the tomb.
Women of Ga­li­lee, fol­low­ers low­ly,
Bringing their spic­es in to­ken of love,
Seeking for Je­sus, the Mas­ter all ho­ly,
Found the bright mes­sen­gers sent from above.

Refrain

Hark! hark to the mes­sage, the glad East­er greet­ing,
Jesus is ris­en! Re­mem­ber His word;
Tell it abroad, the good tid­ings re­peat­ing,
Till the whole world the sweet sto­ry has heard.

Seek not the liv­ing at death’s gloomy por­tal,
Jesus is ris­en, oh, be not afraid;
He is not here,
said the an­gel im­mor­tal;
Come, see the place where the Sav­ior was laid.
Wonderful tid­ings! oh, mes­sage of glad­ness!
He who was dead liv­eth now in the skies.
Tell to all hearts that are mourn­ing in sad­ness,
Jesus is ris­en; His child­ren shall rise.

Refrain

Lo, in the midst of dis­ci­ples as­sem­bled,
Showing the wounds in His hands and His feet,
Tenderly, ten­der­ly, while they all trem­bled,
Peace, peace be un­to you, hear Him re­peat.
Jesus, vic­to­ri­ous, God ev­er liv­ing,
Savior of sin­ners, Thy prais­es we sing.
Hear us, we pray, in our joy­ful thanks­giv­ing,
Risen Re­deem­er and con­quer­ing King.

Refrain