Scripture Verse

They said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher? Mark 16:3

Introduction

Words: P. C. Croll, in Augs­burg Songs No. 2 (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Lu­ther­an Pub­li­ca­tion So­ci­ety, 1893), num­ber 158.

Music: King’s College D. F. Klick, 1893 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Croll or Klick’s full name, or where to get their pho­tos,

Lyrics

illustration
The Holy Women at the Tomb
William Bouguereau (1825–1905)

Who shall roll the stone away?
Thus the pi­ous women spoke,
As they went at break of day,
While each heart with ang­uish broke;
Though the way was dark through­out,
Though fond hope was mixed with doubt,
Yet an im­pulse made them brave—
Holy love led to His grave.

Spices sweet and love they take,
To their mas­ter’s sac­red tomb;
Those on Him they fain would break,
In yon dark se­pul­chral room,
But their zeal is checked alone
By this huge ob­struct­ing stone,
And they find to their dis­may
That the stone was rolled away?

Sing we then our bright­est lay,
On the day our Lord arose,
Since Christ’s re­sur­rect­ion day,
Vanquished now are all our foes;
Since He tasted death for us,
We’re in Him vic­to­ri­ous,
And our East­er songs must own,
Triumph came thro’ Christ alone.