Tune: Christ Lag in Todes Banden-Torgau · 4/4 · C
Christ Jesus Lay In Death's Strong Bands
Words: Martin Luther, 1524. Translated by Richard Massie, 1854.
Key
Coriginal
Tempo
110bpm
Key
Tempo · 110 bpm
Shown in the original key. The loop button repeats the tune for every verse; the last phrase serves as the introduction.
Words
- 1Christ Jesus lay in death's strong bands, For our offenses given; But now at God's right hand He stands, And brings us life from Heaven. Wherefore let us joyful be, And sing to God right thankfully Loud songs of Alleluia! Alleluia!
- 2No son of man could conquer Death, Such mischief sin had wrought us, For innocence dwelt not on earth, And therefore Death had brought us Into thralldom from of old And ever grew more strong and bold And kept us in his bondage. Alleluia!
- 3But Jesus Christ, God's only Son, To our low state descended, The cause of Death He has undone, His power forever ended, Ruined all his right and claim And left him nothing but the name, His sting is lost forever. Alleluia!
- 4It was a strange and dreadful strife When life and death contended; The victory remained with life; The reign of death was ended. Stripped of power, no more it reigns, An empty form alone remains Death's sting is lost forever! Alleluia!
- 5Here the true Paschal Lamb we see, Whom God so freely gave us; He died on the accursed tree So strong His love! to save us. See, His blood doth mark our door; Faith points to it, Death passes o'er, And Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia!