Who Shall Roll the Stone Away? (Engström)

Rough was the way

and dark

and cold

By which the wo­men came of old

Seeking the grave where Je­sus lay

Upon the first great East­er Day.

Their hearts were filled with grief and fear

And as their trem­bling steps drew near

In whis­pered words we hear them say

But who shall roll the stone away?

Our fee­ble women’s strength alone

Can nev­er move that weigh­ty stone;

Our jour­ney will be all in vain

We ne’er shall see our Lord again.

But still with love that lin­gers not

They press to­wards the sac­red spot

Where

rest­ing in mys­te­ri­ous sleep

The Sav­ior lies

for whom they weep.

And toil­ing on­wards through the gloom

They reach at last the roc­ky tomb

Just as the first faint streak of dawn

Is break­ing on that East­er morn.

What is this sight that greets their eyes?

No sun­shine stream­ing from the sky

But beau­te­ous an­gels clothed in white

And beam­ing with ce­les­ti­al light.

In ten­der­est tones the an­gels said

Why seek the liv­ing with the dead?

Christ the Lord is ris­en to­day

Come see the place where Je­sus lay.

And look­ing up

but not with fear

Those ho­ly wo­men drew more near;

Till

in the light of East­er Day

They saw the stone was rolled away.

Christians

re­joice! Take heart of grace

All ye who seek the Sav­ior’s face

There may be mount­ains in the way

But God will roll each stone away.

It needs

per­haps

an earth­quake’s shock

To move the ada­man­tine rock;

Or else His love

if so He please

Can work by slow and sure de­grees.

Leave it to Him to choose the means;

Each ob­sta­cle that in­ter­venes

Shall van­ish like that migh­ty stone

And God be glo­ri­fied alone.

Nothing can be too hard for One

Who gave His own be­lov­èd Son

To die for man

and from the grave

To rise om­ni­po­tent to save.

Only be­lieve

and ye shall see

How won­der­ful His work will be;

Bidding each doubt and fear to cease

And all be love

and joy and peace.

So let us all loud an­thems sing

To Christ the Lord

our heav­en­ly king

Who on this glo­ri­ous East­er Day

Hath rolled the last great stone away.