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1. |
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Jesus, the very thought of thee with sweetness fills my breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see, and in thy presence rest.
No voice can sing, no heart can frame, nor can the mem’ry find,
a sweeter sound than thy blest name, O Savior of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art! How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find? Ah, this nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is, none but his loved ones know.
Jesus, our only joy be thou, as thou our prize wilt be; Jesus, be thou our glory now, and through eternity.
A- - men,A-men,A-men!
A- - men,A-men!
A- - men,A-men,A-men!
A- - men,A-men!
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2. |
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You left within a rocky cave
My guilt that brought you to the grave
O Lord you are the doubters' friend
The Rock on which my confidence depends
O Prince of Life! One thing I know
That when I too in death lie low
The chains of sin that hold me down
Will be transfigured to a holy crown
So rest my Rest your love has won
With your death my work is done
Your life my life and your rest my rest
On you my soul relies
With you my hope will rise
My Jesus King O day by day
Help me to watch to learn, and pray
Because you died and rest I rest
My life in you will be forever blest
So rest my Rest your love has won
With your death my work is done
Your life my life and your rest my rest
On you my soul relies
With you my hope will rise
So rest my Rest your love has won
With your death my work is done
Your life my life and your rest my rest
On you my soul relies
With you my hope will rise
So rest my Rest your love has won
With your death my work is done
Your life my life and your rest my rest
On you my soul relies
With you my hope will rise
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3. |
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VERSE 1
Awake, thou wintry earth!
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness: Dm Bb F
Christ is risen!
VERSE 2:
Wave, woods, your blossoms all!
Grim death is dead;
Ye weeping, funeral trees, Lift up your head:
Christ is risen!
REFRAIN:
Christ is risen
The warmth of spring
Is rising over cold winter’s sting
Christ is risen
Lift up your eyes
The son of light gives us life
VERSE 3:
All is fresh and new,
Full of spring and light:
Wintry heart, why wears the hue
Of sleep and night? Christ is risen!
VERSE 4:
Leave thy cares beneath,
Leave thy worldly love:
Begin the better life With God above
REFRAIN:
Christ is risen
The warmth of spring
Is rising over cold winter’s sting
Christ is risen Lift up your eyes
The son of light gives us life (Repeat)
Christ is risen
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4. |
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Verse 1
O mine eyes, be not so tearful!
Drooping spirit, rise, be cheerful;
Heavy soul, why are you fearful?
Nature's grave is breaking,
And the earth, her gloom forsaking,
Into life and light is waking.
Chorus 1
Oh the weakness and the madness
Of a heart that holds such sadness
When all else is light and gladness!
Verse 2
Though your treasure death has taken,
They that sleep are not forsaken :
They shall hear the trumpet sound, and waken.
Shall not He, who life suppling
To the dead seed where its lying
Quicken also us who are dying
Yea, the power of death was ended
When He, who to hell descended,
Rose, and up to heaven ascended.
Chorus 2
Rise, my soul, then, from dejection:
See in nature the reflection
Of the dear Lord's resurrection.
Let this promise leave thee never:
"If the might of death I sever,
You shall also live forever!
You shall also live forever!"
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5. |
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The winter is over and gone at last ;
The days of snow and cold are past ;
Over the fields the Mowers appear:
It is the Spirit's voice we hear :
The singing of birds,
A warbling band,
And the Spirit's voice, —
The voice of the truth, — is heard in our land.
And gone are the plaintive days of Lent :
The week of the cross with Christ we spent ;
Now He giveth us joy for woe :
Gather the flowers, the first that blow :
The singing of birds,
A warbling band,
And flowers, are words
Which even a babe may understand.
And Christ is the song of every thin<r ;
For death is winter, and Christ is spring:
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6. |
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Verse 1
Dear Savior of a dying world,
Where grief and change must be,
In a new grave where you were laid
My heart lies down with thee
Oh! Not in cold despair of joy,
Or weariness of pain,
But from a hope that shall not die,
To rise and live again.
Verse 2
I would arise in all my strength, My place on earth to fill,
To work out all my time of war With love’s unflinching will;
Firm against every doubt of you, For all my future way
To walk in Heaven’s eternal light Throughout the changing day;
Refrain
Shine, then, Thou Resurrection Light O Shine
Upon our sorrows shine!
Oh, The fullness of Thy joy be ours,
As all our griefs were Thine.
Now, in this changing, dying life of mine,
Our faded hopes comes back to life,
Where all is made new and
We taste of death no more.
Verse 3
I long to see the sacred Earth In new creation rise
To find the germs of Edem, hid Where fallen beauty lies
To feel the spring-tide of a soul By one deep love set free,
Made meet to lay aside her dust, And be at home with Thee
Refrain
All is made new and
We taste of death no more
All is made new
And our Savior’s on the throne
Outro
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7. |
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1 The Lord is risen indeed
And are the tidings true?
Yes, we beheld the Savior bleed,
And saw Him living too.
2 The Lord is risen indeed
Then Justice asks no more
Mercy and Truth are now agreed,
Who stood opposed before.
3 The Lord is risen indeed
He lives to die no more
He lives the sinner's cause to plead,
Whose curse and shame He bore.
4 The Lord is risen indeed
Attending angels, hear
Up to the courts of heaven with speed
The joyful tidings bear.
5 Then take your golden lyres,
And strike each cheerful chord,
Join all the bright celestial choirs,
To sing our Risen Lord.
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8. |
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Verse 1
Our Paschal joy at last is here!
We praise Thee, Christ, Redeemer dear:
From death Thy servants Thou dost save,
Thyself arising from the grave.
We praise Thee, Jesus; for Thy hand
Hath freed us from corruption's band:
Our weary thralldom now is o'er;
We bow beneath the Law no more.
Verse 2
True Paschal Lamb, for sinners slain,
Christ, free from blemish, pure from stain,
Be Thou our Strength, our Food, our Life,
In all our need, in all our strife.
Thou Who hast conquered hell in fight,
We can do all things through Thy might,
Set free the slaves to give Thee laud,
And bring them to the land of God.
Bridge:
The Tree of Life its Fruit hath borne,
The Tree where Thou wast hung in scorn,
Whereon Thy rosy Blood was shed,
And now we feed on Heavenly Bread.
on Heavenly, on Heavenly
on Heavenly, on Heavenly heavenly Bread.
Verse 3
O risen Lord! grant us to rise,
As Thou hast done, in joyful wise,
First for Thy work, from error's gloom;
Then, on the last day, from the tomb.
We praise Thee, who from Death's fierce hold
The carnal, under evil sold,
Hast freed, and pointed out the way
Hast freed, and pointed out the way
Where we must tread to live for aye.
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For years I've wanted to curate a selection of songs for churches longing to inhabit their EASTERTIDE season with more intentionality. I've been grateful to participate in a stream of evangelical churches exploring and incorporating different elements of the church calendar. And it's been quite curious to me that celebrating a robust Eastertide has been the most challenging. Maybe it's trauma from the Easter Sunday spectacle or maybe it hits awkwardly with the end of school years, or some other cognitive dissonance with the reality that every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday.
Either way, when Bellwether Arts was working on their STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION project a few years back I was reminded just how little of the Resurrection narratives consistently find themselves in our services -- and thus our scriptural and spiritual imaginations.
These two albums come from a collection of hymns and poetry collected by Frank Foxcraft in 1878. He says himself as part of his introduction regarding Resurrection themed-songs - "No part of the editor’s search has been so disappointing as that which led him among the hymn-books. (Foxcroft included 177 pieces, extending over 15 centuries of sacred song in his collection.)
You'll find 17 songs between the two EP's, with 17 texts the artists chose that foreground the wonder, fear, and glory of the resurrection narratives. All of creation comes alive in these songs in concert with creatures of heaven and earth. And I especially love the songs that meditate on the women's presence at the empty tomb!
Volume 1 is a bit more gentle, more introspective and conversant with the tender movements of beauty and relinquished sorrow.
Volume 2 is more energetic and brash - with electronic impulses and full band arrangements that speak to the power and unbridled joy of the resurrection.
i love them both so much!
Again - I am grateful for the many artists in this collection who donated their time, talents, and considerable experience to bring this project to life. And a special HT to Jonathan Gabhart for working with a few of my old Hope students on their tracks! So proud!!
Per usual I've invited a friend to write an introductory article which is included in the songbook. So grateful for Rev. Eric Dirksen, pastor of Christ Church Davis, CA for wedding his love of Augustine with the needs of our theme.
He is Risen!
Bruce Benedict
released November 8, 2023
Produced by Bruce Benedict
Songs mixed by individual artists, additionally mixing by Drew Elliot
Design by Blake Johnson, based off of "Resurgit"
Mastered by Drew Elliot
**Special essay in the songbook by Rev. Eric Dirkeson (Christ Church, Davis CA)
