Sealed was the tomb, guarded by soldiers,
Brightly the moonlight shone around;
Roadway and hill gleamed in the brightness,
Flooded with light the garden’s bound.
Brighter the light seen ’neath the olives;
Forms bright as sunlight, ’mid the trees,
Soldiers were there, clad as for warfare;
Lo! they are gone, and who are these?
See yonder, hast’ning to the city,
The trembling soldiers in terror go!
Earthquake astounding, strange light surrounding,
Drive them away these things to show.

Refrain

O wonderful light in the garden,
That fadeth not away!
The King who was laid in the shadow
With vict’ry is crowned this glorious day.

Darkly they plan; falsely as darkly,
Stories that He was borne away—
Borne by His friends, poor weak disciples,
Stol’n when the moon was bright as day!
Soldiers of Rome ne’er slept on duty,
False was the tale for silver told;
Death could not hold that mighty Victor!
Lift up your heads, ye gates of gold!
The morn of glory hath awakened,
And death no longer holds boundless pow’r;
Empty the prison, Jesus has risen;
Time hath no richer, grander hour.

Refrain