As Those Who Seek the Break of Day

As those who seek the break of day

Full ear­ly in the morn­ing

The wo­men came where Je­sus lay

Who late had borne the scorn­ing.

Sweet oint­ment in their hands they brought

And ere the sun had ris­en

The Sun of Right­eous­ness they sought

Now set with­in death’s pri­son.

And thus they cried—the bo­dy here

Let us give new an­oint­ing;

The quick­en­ing flesh

the bo­dy dear

Which by di­vine ap­point­ing

From this dark se­pul­cher shall rise

And Ad­am’s race de­liv­er

And lift the fall­en to the skies

To reign in bliss for ev­er.

And like the Ma­gi

hast­en we

To Him with love ador­ing;

Sweet spic­es

too

our gifts shall be

And we must weep

im­plor­ing

That He

in swad­dling clothes no more

But in fine lin­en ly­ing

Would grant the fall­en when life is o’er

The gift of life un­dy­ing.