The Cyber Hymnal ‎#2522

2522. The Holy Dawn

1. The soldiers were guarding the Savior’s tomb,
At the close of the Sabbath day;
And the shadows lay deep in the garden gloom
Where the body of Jesus lay;
For the priests had rememberèd that it was said,
That the Savior should rise again from the tomb.
And the watch was kept while the Savior slept,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more.

2. The grave was made sure and the stone was sealed,
Lest His friends steal away the Lord,
And the light of the torches the guards revealed,
In obedience to Pilate’s word.
Lo, an earthquake was sent and Jesus’ tomb was rent
And the keepers did shake, to earth then they reeled.
And the watch was kept while the Savior slept,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more,
And His loved ones wept, for He was no more.

3. The angel of God rolled the stone away
From the door of the Savior’s tomb,
And the fair, holy dawn of the Easter day
Had dispelled all the night of gloom;
And the angel then told unto the women there,
The Master hath ris’n, O see where He lay.
Oh, the holy dawn of the Easter morn,
How it turns our night into day so bright,
How it turns our night into day so bright.

Text Information

• First Line: The soldiers were guarding the Savior's tomb
• Title: The Holy Dawn
• Author: Mary F. Willard Elderkin (1906)
• Language: English
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: [The soldiers were guarding the Savior's tomb]
• Composer: George Wicker Elderkin
• Incipit: 33335 55111 11176
• Key: E♭ Major
• Copyright: Public Domain