Ere yet the dawn has filled the skies,
Behold my Sav­ior Christ arise;
He chas­eth from us sin and night,
And brings us joy and life and light.

O strong­er Thou than death and hell,
Where is the foe Thou canst not quell?
What hea­vy stone Thou canst not roll
From off the pri­soned, ang­uished soul?

If Je­sus lives, can I be sad?
I know He loves me, and am glad;
Though all the world were dead to me,
Enough, O Christ, if I have Thee!

He feeds me, com­forts and de­fends,
And when I die His an­gel sends
To bear me whi­ther He is gone,
For of His own He los­eth none.

No more to fear or grief I bow,
God and the an­gels know me now;
The joys pre­pared for me to­day
Drive fear and mourn­ing far away.

Strong cham­pi­on! For this com­fort see,
The whole world brings her thanks to Thee;
And once we too shall raise above
More sweet and loud the song of love.