Sing to the Lord a Song of Gladness

 

A Cantate Hymn

98 98 D

Tune:   Rendez à Dieu

 

1 Sing to the Lord a song of gladness -

Christ is arisen from the dead!

All sin and death with all its sadness

Is conquered by our Lord and Head.

His risen body shows salvation

For every sinner on this earth;

His life displays the new creation

Poured on us in our second birth.

 

2 Those bones dried up, flesh will enshroud them;

This dust in graves shall sing with joy;

Our eyes shall see – no shadow cloud them –

The Lord who did our death destroy. 

For our Redeemer, three days hidden,

Now lives again and no more dies –

Soon faithful bodies will be bidden

To wake from sleep, from death to rise.

 

3 Gone is the power of the devil;

Crushed in the dust that is his food;

Here is the Conqueror of evil,

Giving His body and His blood;

To us, now in the Holiest kneeling,

In flesh He gave, in blood He spilt,

Apart from works, God is revealing

Atonement free for all our guilt. 

 

4 Come, children of our Heavenly Father,

Come, members of Christ’s body pure,

Join Him who is your God and Brother,

Sing out His praise that will endure!

Leave all your sinful doubts behind you -

The bonds that still you feel within

In Christ those fetters cannot bind you,

Since He forgives you all your sin.

 

5 The flood is past, the Dove is bringing

Peace in the Vine in whom we grow;

Our David brings the ark in, singing

Peace only faith could ever know;

Greater than Solomon the glory

Of Him, our Temple, raised for us;

Greater than Jonah is the story

Of Christ the Lord our Righteousness. 

 

 

6 Come, bring the fruits that God is growing,

Offer your lives to Him who lives;

Soon what He planted will be showing

The harvest that the Spirit gives. 

Let not your faith nor courage falter,

For Christ has joined you to His Cross –

Bind now your offering to that Altar,

That gives abundance after loss. 

 

7 Then will the eye that saw here sorrow

See the fulfillment of God’s Word,

When, after weeping’s night, the morrow

Brings joy no earthly ear has heard;

All saints, with angel host assembling,

A new, eternal song will sing,

That sets new earth and heaven trembling

For praise to Christ our risen King!

            5/1/18