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Firstpublished:1791 in Harmonia Americana, pp. 50-51 Description: Words amended and augmented by an unknown author from various hymns by Isaac Watts, 1707-1709 (see below). These stanzas apparently first appeared in The Book of Common Prayer published in Philadelphia in 1790. Holyoke set three stanzas.
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Original text and translations
English text
1. Hear what the voice from heaven declares
To those in Christ who die!
Released from all their earthly cares,
They reign with him on high.
2. Then why lament departed friends,
Or shake at death's alarms?
Death's but the servant Jesus sends
to call us to his arms.
3. If sin he pardoned, we're secure,
Death hath no sting beside;
The law gave sin its strength and power;
But Christ, our ransom, died!
4. The graves of all his saints he blessed,
when in the grave he lay;
And, rising thence, their hopes he raised
to everlasting day!
5. Then joyfully, while life we have,
to Christ, our life, we'll sing,
Where is thy victory, O grave?
And where, O death, thy sting?
Hear what the voice from heav'n proclaims,
Why do we mourn departing friend,
Or shake at death's alarms?
'Tis but the voice that Jesus sends
To call them to his arms.
If sin be pardoned, I'm secure,
Death hath no sting beside;
The law gives sin its damning power;
But Christ, my ransom, died.
The graves of all his saints he blessed,
Joyful with all the strength I have
My quivering lips should sing,
Where is thy boasted victory, Grave?
And where the monster's sting?