Lyrics
Verse 1
Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus, my Savior,
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus, my Lord!
Chorus
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Verse 2
Vainly they watch His bed,
Jesus, my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead,
Jesus, my Lord!
Death cannot keep his Prey,
Jesus, my Savior;
He tore the bars away,
Jesus, my Lord!
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
Christ Arose is a classic Easter hymn that follows Jesus from the tomb to victory. The first stanza says that Jesus, the Savior, lay low in the grave waiting for the coming day. The refrain announces that He arose up from the grave with a mighty triumph over His foes, rising a Victor from the dark domain and living forever to reign with His saints, ending with "Hallelujah! Christ arose!"
The second stanza says that watchers guarded His bed and the seal on the tomb was in vain, because death could not keep its prey and He tore the bars away. The images follow Matthew 28:6, where the angel says He is not here but risen, Revelation 1:18, where the living Lord holds the keys of death, and 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 on victory over the grave. The slow stanzas and the bright, rising refrain give the hymn a solemn opening and a triumphant, joyful ending suited to Easter worship.
Related Scripture
- Matthew 28:6 The angel says Jesus is not here, for He has risen.
- Revelation 1:18 The risen Christ holds the keys of Death and Hades.
- 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Death is swallowed up in victory through the Lord Jesus Christ.