Scripture Verse

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Corinthians 15:55

Introduction

Words: Re­gi­nald He­ber (1783–1826), alt. Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Writ­ten and Adapt­ed to the Week­ly Church Ser­vice of the Year (Lon­don: J. Mur­ray, 1827), pag­es 64–65.

Music: Ab­er­deen pos­si­bly by An­drew Tait, in James Chal­mers’ un­ti­tled col­lect­ion, 1749; me­lo­dy from Ru­di­ments of Mu­sic, by Ro­bert Brem­ner, 1756 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Reginald Heber (1783–1826)

Lyrics

God is gone up with joy­ful sound
Of saints that sing on high;
His own right hand and ho­ly arm
Have brought the vic­to­ry nigh!

Now emp­ty are the courts of Death
And crushed thy sting, Des­pair;
And ros­es bloom in desert tomb
For Je­sus hath been there!

And He hath tamed the strength of Hell,
And dragged him through the sky,
Captive be­hind His cha­ri­ot wheel,
That man no more may die.