Jesus Christ is Risen Today

The stanzas of "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" (LSB 457) alternate between statements about the resurrection and invitations to sing praise to the risen Christ.

Stanzas one and three lay out the history facts of the resurrection and its saving doctrine. We celebrate, in stanza one, the fact that Christ who "suffered to redeem our loss" on the cross has now risen! As a result, Easter is a "triumphant holy day" - triumphant because God "gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). The third stanza reinforces the idea that this suffering, death, and resurrection "procured" our salvation. Risen, He now lives as our heavenly King, where angels surround the throne with eternal song!

Stanzas two and four invite us to offer hymns of praise to Christ through faith in Him and His resurrection. We believers, "Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things!" (Psalm 98:1) The final doxological stanza encourages us to sing a hymn of "praise eternal" to God for His "eternal love." In doing so, we join the hosts of heaven and every living creature throughout the universe in a song of "blessing and honor and glory and might" to the Lamb (Revelation 5:13).

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

1 Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

2 Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heav’nly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

3 But the pains which He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

D4 Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as His love; Alleluia!
Praise Him, all ye heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Text: Public domain