Be joyful all, both far and near

Be joyful all, both far and near,
Who lost were and dejected:
To-day the Lord of glory here,
Whom God Himself elected
As our Redeemer, who His blood
Upon the cross shed for our good,
Hath from the grave arisen.

How well succeeded hath thy might,
Thou foe of life so ruthless!
To kill the Lord of life and light;
Thine arrow through Him scathless
Hath pass’d, thou base injurious foe!
Thou thought’st when thou hadst laid Him low,
He’d lie in dust for ever.

No, no! on high His head is borne,
His mighty pow’r asunder
Thy gates hath burst, thy bands hath torn,
Thyself hath trodden under
His feet; who doth in Him confide
Thy pow’r and claims may now deride
And say, “Thy sting, where is it?”

Thy pow’r is gone, ’tis broken quite,
And it can hurt him never
Who to this Prince with all his might
With heart and soul cleaves ever,
Who speaks with joy, “I live, and ye
Shall also live for aye with me,
For I this life have purchas’d.

“The reign and pow’r of death are o’er,
He never need affright you;
I am his Lord, the Prince of pow’r,
And this may well delight you;
And as your risen Head I live:
So ye, if ye on me believe,
Shall be my members ever.

“Of hell have I the overthrow
Accomplish’d, none now needeth
To fear the pains of endless woe,
Who Me and My word heedeth;
He’s freed from Satan’s grievous yoke,
Whose head I bruis’d, whose might I broke,
And he can never harm him.”

Now prais’d be God, who vict’ry hath
To us through Jesus given,
Who peace for war, and life for death,
With entrance into heaven,
Hath purchas’d, who death, sin, and woe,
World, devil, what our overthrow
Would seek, for aye hath vanquish’d.

Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs, 1867