05A.01. Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands"

"Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands"

1. Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands, For our offenses given; But now at God’s right hand He stands And brings us life from heaven;

Therefore let us joyful be And sing to God right thankfully Loud songs of hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

2. No son of man could conquer Death, Such mischief sin had wrought us, For innocence dwelt not on earth, And therefore Death had brought us Into thraldom from of old And ever grew more strong and bold And kept us in his bondage. Hallelujah!

3. But Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, To our low state descended, The cause of Death He has undone, His power forever ended, Ruined all his right and claim And left him nothing but the name,-- His sting is lost forever.

Hallelujah!

4. It was a strange and dreadful strife When Life and Death contended; The victory remained with Life, The reign of Death was ended;

Holy Scripture plainly saith That Death is swallowed up by Death, His sting is lost forever.

Hallelujah!

5. Here the true Paschal Lamb we see, Whom God so freely gave us;

He died on the accursed tree-- So strong His love!--to save us.

See, His blood doth mark our door;

Faith points to it, Death passes o’er, And Satan cannot harm us.

Hallelujah!

6. So let us keep the festival Whereto the Lord invites us;

Christ is himself the Joy of all, The Sun that warms and lights us. By His grace He doth impart Eternal sunshine to the heart; The night of sin is ended.

Hallelujah!

7. Then let us feast this Easter Day On Christ, the Bread of heaven; The Word of Grace hath purged away The old and evil leaven.

Christ alone our souls will feed, He is our meat and drink indeed;

Faith lives upon no other.

Hallelujah!

Hymn #195 from The Handbook to The Lutheran Hymnal

Text: Acts 2:24 Author: Martin Luther, 1524, cento Translated by: Richard Massic, 1854, alt.

Titled: Christ lag in Todesbanden Tune: Latin melody, c. 1100