514. 'Indeed' Hymn

Lest I let an entire calendar month elapse without posting anything on my blog – and I have so much to discuss when time permits – here's what I suppose could be categorized as an Easter hymn. Its working title was "This Is the Day" but it was the "indeed" in the first line that really revved its engine. The art, which I appropriated without the express endorsement of the image's owner, is "Christ triumphing over Death and Sin" by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) per Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. I don't know what tune will go with it at this writing; I probably have years to make that call.

This is indeed the day the Lord has made,
Whatever sort it be; for chill and shade,
As well as cheer and light, are His to give;
We all the same rejoice, who in Him live.

Christ rose indeed, and lives no more to die,
And breaks death's sting and bond for all thereby:
Though we may die, we yet shall live again,
Both soul and body cleansed of every stain.

We have indeed for freedom been set free,
The Lord's bond-slaves with single heart to be:
Set free from sin by freely offered blood,
We serve as heirs, possessed of every good.

It is indeed a new song that we sing,
Whatever be its date; for that new thing
The Lord does, who exchanges life for death,
Puts melody and lyric to our breath.

It is indeed a joyful heart we raise,
Whatever the incipit of our praise;
For though we laugh or weep, or live or die,
We are in Christ, our God with God on high.

Thus we indeed rejoice and serve and sing
And live and hope and faithful witness bring
To Him who fullest measure gladly gave,
And rising, strode to heaven, strong to save.