Scripture Verse

Pilate said…Take some of your soldiers and guard the tomb as well as you know how. So they…made the sepulcher secure by sealing the stone and putting the guard on watch. Matthew 27:65–66

Introduction

Words: George P. Gran­tham, in The Sun­day School Hym­nal (Buf­fa­lo, New York: Breed, Lent, 1871), num­ber 87.

Music: Dord­recht George P. Gran­tham, 1871 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Gran­tham (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

illustration
Roman Guards at Jesus’ Tomb
James Tissot (1836–1902)

Near the tomb where Je­sus slept,
Roman guards their night-watch kept,
Pacing to and fro alone,
By the close­ly seal­èd stone.

Refrain

Christ! Thou Con­quer­or! All hail!
Guard and stone can naught avail!
Death is slain in mor­tal strife;
Hail the Prince and Lord of Life!

In the dark­some mid­night, lo!
Hark! an earth­quake rolls be­low!
Sign of dead­ly con­flict o’er,
Death de­spoiled for­ev­er­more!

Refrain

That which by the cave-mouth lay,
Angel hands have rolled away;
And the Lord, His three days sped,
Comes tri­um­phant from the dead!

Refrain

O! the breath­less fear which fell
On the guards no tongue may tell;
Prostrate all, in sore dis­may,
As He rose, and passed away!

Refrain

Christ, Thou Vic­tor o’er the tomb,
Take us in the Day of Doom,
Take us to Thine own dear side,
At the last great East­er-tide!

Christ! Thou Con­quer­or! all hail!
Let not death o’er us pre­vail:
Help us in our mor­tal strife,
Bring us to the land of life!