JEG SER DIG, SØDE LAM

Hans A. Brorson (1694-1764) is best-known to us as the author of “Behold a host arrayed in white.” Another of his many hymns is this classic about Christ's exaltation and glorification, following His humiliation and death. The translator is Olaf Lee (1859-1943), and the tune is a Norwegian folk hymn called JEG SER DIG, SØDE LAM.

I see Thee standing, Lamb of God,
Now at Thy father’s right:
But O how painful was Thy road
That led to Zion’s height!
And what a burden Thou didst bear:
The world’s distress and shame,
That made Thee sink, our woe to share,
To depths that none can name.

O spotless Lamb, it was Thy will
In love thus bound to be
Upon the cross on Calv’ry’s hill
From sin to set us free.
With lion strength Thy nailèd hands
To death the deathblow gave,
And broken were our prison bands
When Thou didst rend the grave.

Around Thy throne a throng doth stream
In raiment white as snow,
Their eyes like stars with radiance beam
The Lamb of God to know.
The story, how He chose to be
A servant for our sake,
The angels will eternally
Their anthems’ burden make.

Twelve times twelve thousand Thee acclaim,
Each with His harp in hand,
Upon their brow Thy Father’s name
Makes known that happy band.
Like sound of many waters rise
Their songs of victory;
To Thee who won us Paradise,
Eternal praises be.

IMAGE: Another picture by Prokudin-Gorskii, taken in the Russian Empire between 1909 and 1915. Look at the colors of the women's clothes and the food they are holding! Wow!