The blackest
night - that's how it all seemed
As they gathered together at the end of that week
They'd lost the fight - what did it all mean?
Now that the cruel had defeated the meek
They'd watched their Savior die on a cross
They'd seen their hopes fade into loss
There was cheating, there was lying,
There was weeping, there was crying
Even Peter was denying that he knew the one who's dying
But resplendent was the dawn that would lift their dark dismay,
And would send them out rejoicing as their fears were swept away
Resurrection Day!
Roll the stone away!
It's Resurrection Day!
As black as night, that's how it all seems
When we feel that there's noone we can turn to in fear
We lose the fight - surrender our dreams
Justice and mercy are a fragile veneer
Despair will drive us into the ground
If we ignore where true hope is found
We see cheating, we see lying
We see weeping, we see crying
Just like Peter, we're denying that we know the one who's dying
But resplendent is the dawn that will lift our dark dismay,
And will send us out rejoicing as our fears are swept away
Resurrection Day
Roll the stone away!
It's Resurrection Day.
Jesus brought a message, but it wasn't just His preaching
Jesus came and taught us, but it wasn't just his teaching
They thought it was finished with His death by crucifixion
But the point of it all was His glorious Resurrection
No more cheating, no more lying,
No more weeping, no more crying,
For our souls there'll be no sighing, as we see the end to dying;
Then a still more glorious dawn will surround us with his grace,
And will lift us up rejoicing as we meet him face to face.
Resurrection Day etc
This resulted from a collaboration across the Atlantic in the
Christian Songwriters' Group mailing list. John posted some unfinished lyrics
which looked to have great potential - especially the repeated rhymes at the
beginning of the chorus leading up to an explosive "Resurrection Day"
at the end. I aimed to give them music with an appropriate feel of urgency, and
together we're still refining the lyrics. This is a reasonable working version
that will have its first congregational outing this Easter Sunday!