O the Darkness, O the Sorrow

O the dark­ness

O the sor­row

O the mi­se­ry of sin!

When will dawn the pro­mised mor­row

That shall bring de­liv­er­ance in?

One there was or­dained to lang­uish

Guiltless

in Geth­se­ma­ne;

One there was who died in ang­uish

Innocent

on Cal­va­ry.

Jesus was the bur­den bear­er

God’s own Son the sac­ri­fice;

Of the griefs of man the shar­er

Of his soul the ran­som price.

’Tis the Christ

the ev­er-liv­ing

Ever-lov­ing

ev­er-blest

By the Com­fort­er still giv­ing

Pardon

ho­li­ness

and rest.

Can the love so free­ly giv­en

Can the blood so free­ly shed

Fail to draw the earth to Heav­en

Fail to bring alive its dead?

Rise

O child­ren of the Fa­ther

Stand

ye bro­thers of the Son

In un­yield­ing ranks to­ge­ther

Till the crown of Christ be won;

Till the lands of sin and sor­row

Darker than the an­cient night

Shall be­hold the pro­mised morrow

Beam on them with sav­ing light.