Christ in the Bands of Death Was Laid

Christ in the bands of death was laid

For our trans­gres­sions giv­en:

He rose: the way He op­en made

To life

the life of Heav­en.

Therefore we will now re­joice

And praise our God with thank­ful voice

And raise our hal­le­lu­jah! Hal­le­lu­jah!

By none of all the sons of men

Could death’s dark realm be shak­en:

Sin made our strength all weak and vain:

All have of guilt par­tak­en.

Thus came death up­on us all

And bound the fall­en world in thrall

Beneath his dread do­min­ion. Hal­le­lu­jah!

But Je­sus Christ

God’s on­ly Son

Hath in our stead des­cend­ed:

O’er death our Lord the vic­to­ry won

When He trans­gres­sion end­ed.

He des­troyed death’s pow­er and claim

And left to death an emp­ty name:

Away his sting has tak­en. Hal­le­lu­jah!

How great

how won­drous was the strife!

Life was by death as­sail­èd!

But Je­sus Christ

the Prince of Life

With con­quer­ing arm pre­vail­èd.

This of old the seers did say

That death should make of death a prey:

So death hath scorn en­dur­èd. Hal­le­lu­jah!

This the true

the Pas­chal Lamb

Assigned to us from Heav­en:

His life to love’s con­sum­ing flame

Upon the cross was giv­en.

If on us His blood ap­pear

Faith holds by this

though death be near:

Subdued is the de­stroy­er! Hal­le­lu­jah!

So let us keep our ho­ly day

High joy our hearts o’er­flow­ing;

The Lord Him­self with heav­en­ly ray

This day on us be­stow­ing.

He Him­self our sun doth shine

Upon our hearts with grace di­vine:

The night of sin fast fad­eth. Hal­le­lu­jah!