Hymn of the Month: Around Thy Grave, Lord Jesus

We recently dicovered this hymn in a little red hymn book that came all the way from Ireland. Our church group was meeting at our house and we were going to be discussing a recent sermon on baptism, so we looked up this song, which fit perfectly.

We sang it to the tune of "The Church's One Foundation."

Around Thy grave, Lord Jesus, Thine empty grave we stand,

With hearts all full of gladness, to keep Thy blest command;

By faith our souls rejoicing to trace Thy path of love,

Through death’s dark angry billows, up to the throne above.

Lord Jesus, we remember the travail of Thy soul,

When in Thy love’s deep pity the waves did o’er Thee roll:

Baptized in death’s cold waters, for us Thy blood was shed;

For us the Lord of glory was numbered with the dead.

O Lord, Thou now art risen Thy travail all is o’er,

For sin Thou once hast suffered Thou liv’st to die no more!

Sin, death and hell are vanquished by Thee, Thy church’s Head:

And lo! we share Thy triumphs, Thou First-born from the dead.

Into Thy death baptiz’ed, we own with Thee we died;

With Thee, our Life, are risen, and in Thee glorified;

From sin, the world and Satan, we’re ransomed by Thy blood,

And now would walk as strangers alive with Thee to God.

By James George Deck, 1802-84

Laura