Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, in the Hym­nal for Child­ren, ed­it­ed by H. S. Hoff­man (Phi­la­de­lphia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Re­formed Epis­co­pal Pub­li­ca­tion So­cie­ty, 1887).

Music: Glen­coe Al­fred G. Mor­ti­mer, in On Wings of Song, by George C. Hugg (Phi­la­de­lphia, Penn­syl­van­ia: George C. Hugg, 1896), page 216 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Hainaut Will­iam J. Rob­john, in Our Song Book, ed­it­ed by Ed­ward Mor­ris Bow­man (New York: Big­low & Main, 1890), num­ber 192 (🔊 pdf nwc). Some hym­nals give the com­pos­er’s name as Ca­ryl Flo­rio, Rob­john’s pseu­do­nym.

If you know the author’s name, or where to get a good pho­to of Mor­ti­mer (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Twine the East­er gar­land,
Deck the grave with flow­ers;
Jesus Christ hath con­quered
Death’s en­thrall­ing pow­ers;
Satan, sin and sor­row
Lie be­neath His feet;
Christians, raise your voic­es,
Sing His tri­umph sweet.

Refrain

Twine the East­er gar­land,
Deck the grave with flow­ers,
Jesus Christ hath con­quered
Death’s en­thralling pow­ers.

Like a migh­ty vic­tor
Rose the Lord that morn;
Brighter light and pur­er
On this earth was born;
Rays of hope and mer­cy,
Round His form are shed;
Scattered doubt and show­ered
Glory on the dead.

Refrain

Faith, a ray of glo­ry,
Shows the emp­ty tomb
And the ma­ny man­sions
Of the Sav­ior’s home,
Where the saints were rest­ing,
After death and grave:
Christians, we can con­quer
Sing His pow­er to save.

Refrain