Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

In the grave they laid Him, Love Whom we had slain,
Thinking that He’d never wake to life again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

Up He sprang at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain;
Up from the dead my risen Lord is seen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

When our hearts are saddened, grieving or in pain,
By Your touch You call us back to life again;
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

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

Lift up, lift up your voices now!
The whole wide world rejoices now;
The Lord has triumphed gloriously,
The Lord shall reign victoriously.

In vain with stone the cave they barred;
In vain the watch kept ward and guard;
Majestic from the spoilèd tomb,
In pomp of triumph Christ is come.

And all He did, and all He bare,
He gives us as our own to share;
And hope, and joy and peace begin,
For Christ has won, and man shall win.

O Victor, aid us in the fight,
And lead through death to realms of light;
We safely pass where Thou hast trod;
In Thee we die to rise to God.

Thy flock, from sin and death set free,
Glad alleluias raise to Thee;
And ever with the heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Low in the grave they had buried Christ the Savior;
Dark was the night round the silent guarded tomb,
But with the dawn came a glow of heav’nly splendor
Glory filled the earth dispelling gloom.

Refrain

Wake, sweetest strains of music!
Telling out the story
How from death the Savior rose
To live forevermore.
Wake, sweetest strains of music!
Drive away all sadness
Let your anthems ring from shore to shore.

Close to the tomb were the soldiers vigil keeping,
When from above came a form of dazzling light,
Then He arose from the grave a mighty Victor
Angels welcomed Him in robes of white.

Refrain

Joy to the world, let this day be filled with gladness—
Wake sweetest strains join this happy Easter song,
Peace shall abide for the grave has lost its terror
Christ is risen—let His praise prolong.

Refrain