Easter morning hymn from Thomas Kingo

Like the sun in golden splendour

Like the sun in golden splendour

Breaks through clouds as black as night,

Forcing dark and gloom’s surrender

With its radiant shafts of light,

So did Jesus from his grave

And death’s sea’s abysmal cave

Rise in glory, death now scorning

At first blush of Easter morning.

Thanks to thee, from death arisen

And that thou its hold couldst quell

Since it thee could not imprison,

In its tent pitch-black as hell.

Thanks to thee, victorious lord,

Heaven’s hero, much adored.

Proper joy one can but stutter,

For no tongue full praise can utter.

Deep within my heart is something,

Solace which the soul can find,

Which can soothe the pain forthcoming

When thy grave just fills my mind,

And reflect on where thou layst

In death’s endless empty space,

And rose up in power and splendour,

What can greater joy engender?

Should I lie in sin’s foul fetters,

Should I lie by sickness spent,

Should I lie midst worldly debtors

Should I lie by sorrows pent,

Should I lie despised, distressed,

By the world so sore oppressed,

In the grave I’ll make my dwelling,

There’s still hope beyond all telling.

For man’s sin thou paidst most dearly,

Death for me thou hast endured;

I, once wretched, poor and weary,

Also sick, by thee am cured.

I through thee from death’s dark vale

Shall be raised up, whole and hale,

Hold my head erect, unfearing,

All distress see disappearing.

Sin and death and every arrow

Which foul Satan can let fly

Since death’s dark land thee would harrow

Broken and defeated lie!

Thou didst bury them, and give

Me a staff to surely live

So when thou shalt come in glory

I’ll wave victor’s palms fronds for thee.

As God’s Son I now do own thee,

Thy omnipotence perceive,

Your defeat of death has shown me

What I know and I believe,

Blessedness and hope for me,

My baptism’s certainty,

In thy death are like an image
And thy resurrection’s message.

Thou one day to life willst raise me

By thy resurrective power

Let the earth conceal, erase me,

Worms my very juice devour,

Fire and water me consume!

I lie trusting in my tomb

That to life I shall be taken,

In death’s realm not lie forsaken.

Jesus, thy sweet mercy show me,

By thy holy spirit bred,

So my life’s course I can show thee,

When it by thy hand is led,

So I shall not fall again

Into death’s abyss of pain,

Out of which you once retrieved me,

Where you death suppressed completely.

For the joy thy birth’s professing

For your Godhead’s healing word,

For baptism’s holy blessing,

For communion’s joy conferred,

For the quelling of death’s dread,

For thy rising from the dead,

Lord, I thank thee unconfinedly

That in heaven I shall find thee.