One Hundred Holy Songs, Carols, and Sacred Ballads Original, and suitable for music [by Jean Ingelow] |
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Double Hymn.
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 | One Hundred Holy Songs, Carols, and Sacred Ballads |  |
46
Double Hymn.
“They went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the
stone and setting a watch.”
1.
Who shall begin the wondrous, wondrous story?
Tell how the Lord is dead—the Lord of glory?
With reverent fear approach the sealèd stone,
And mourn because of Him that lyeth alone?
Tell how the Lord is dead—the Lord of glory?
With reverent fear approach the sealèd stone,
And mourn because of Him that lyeth alone?
1.
We will begin the wondrous, wondrous story.
They left Him in His tomb—the Lord of glory—
Enwrapp'd with myrrh and spices of the dead,
And linen swathed about His sacred head.
They left Him in His tomb—the Lord of glory—
Enwrapp'd with myrrh and spices of the dead,
And linen swathed about His sacred head.
Love's denied King. Behold Him! watch one hour
Beneath His closèd lids the death-shades lower
On His cold shroud cold costly balms distil,
And the cold healing hands lie still, lie still.
Beneath His closèd lids the death-shades lower
On His cold shroud cold costly balms distil,
And the cold healing hands lie still, lie still.
2.
Who shall go on? The Father loved Him well.
Did He come down and enter? None can tell.
O wondrous mystery! for man too deep;
The Christ is dead no more, He lyeth asleep.
Did He come down and enter? None can tell.
O wondrous mystery! for man too deep;
The Christ is dead no more, He lyeth asleep.
2.
We will go on, with reverent, reverent fear.
After the blanks of death our Saviour dear,
It may be as a man, in dreams of peace
Was dimly 'ware the ransom'd world's release,
After the blanks of death our Saviour dear,
It may be as a man, in dreams of peace
Was dimly 'ware the ransom'd world's release,
47
And knew He lived again and will'd to wake,
Whisper'd the sealèd stone and bade it break;
When, like a flash of lightning fall'n from heaven,
An angel answer'd as the word was given.
Whisper'd the sealèd stone and bade it break;
When, like a flash of lightning fall'n from heaven,
An angel answer'd as the word was given.
Behold the Roman guard in dread affright
Flee from the quaking rocks, the dazzling light;
And other angels light on His cold floor,
And minister, and marvel, and adore.
Flee from the quaking rocks, the dazzling light;
And other angels light on His cold floor,
And minister, and marvel, and adore.
3.
Who may go on with this so marvellous thing,
Love's suffering, dying, living Lord to sing?
One to the night comes forth. Behold! 'tis He
Clad in His robes of immortality.
Love's suffering, dying, living Lord to sing?
One to the night comes forth. Behold! 'tis He
Clad in His robes of immortality.
3.
Since He was man—then man may think as man—
He breathed a conscious calm ere joy began;
A rapture of deep rest that nothing saith,
New from the cold solemnities of death.
He breathed a conscious calm ere joy began;
A rapture of deep rest that nothing saith,
New from the cold solemnities of death.
Haply fulfill'd of peace He stood alone,
And all God's love came on Him from the throne;
The hovering mystic Dove, it may be, fell
Upon the breast of our Immanuel.
And all God's love came on Him from the throne;
The hovering mystic Dove, it may be, fell
Upon the breast of our Immanuel.
4.
But none can, none can tell the marvellous story,
The thoughts of Christ, the living Lord of glory;
Since He was God, my God foreknew His reign,
That Light of light would shine in light again.
The thoughts of Christ, the living Lord of glory;
Since He was God, my God foreknew His reign,
That Light of light would shine in light again.
48
Since He was man, the warmèd night-air dim,
The garden odours warm were sweet to Him;
And warmèd world, beneath whose bowers withdrawn,
He waited for His mourners till the dawn,
The garden odours warm were sweet to Him;
And warmèd world, beneath whose bowers withdrawn,
He waited for His mourners till the dawn,
And said to them, “All hail!”—O, greeting sweet,
The kneeling women hold Him by the feet.
Heaven's gates fly open. So His words prevail,
That earth for ever answers, “Hail, all hail!”
The kneeling women hold Him by the feet.
Heaven's gates fly open. So His words prevail,
That earth for ever answers, “Hail, all hail!”
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