Happy Easter! Christ is Risen, and the Sight is Glorious!

Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! And on this EASTER DAY, when we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection, overcoming sin, death, and hell, there are many, many wonderful hymns and songs to sing. I’ll bet the melodious “alleluias” of “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” wafted heavenwards at many churches, along with other hymns and more contemporary Easter songs.

There are some wonderful Easter hymns that don’t get sung as much as the old standbys like the one above and “Up from the Grave He Arose.” One such hymn is “Look, ye saints! The sight is glorious,” by Thomas Kelly. Kelly was an Irish evangelical–sometime Church of Ireland minister–and hymnwriter, (1769-1855).

Kelly was not a big favorite of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. He was a proponent of the doctrine of grace, which was also held to by the English evangelical movement. The English Evangelicals were known as the “Enthusiasts.” I don’t know whether or not that ‘nickname’ was also given to the Irish. But the Irish are certainly an enthusiastic people! When I was on church mission trips in South Armagh, Northern Ireland, the children in Crossmaglen helpfully informed me, “Youse aren’t regular Christians; youse are Hallelujahs!”

“Look, ye saints,” is a powerful, doctrine-rich hymn, deeply moving whether you are a regular Christian or a Hallelujah! The words are below. It can be sung to same tune as “Angels from the Realms of Glory,” among others.

I think that Kelly would have heartily approved of more modern Easter songwriter Jamie Owens-Collins’ song “The Victor” as Kelly depicts Jesus in a similar manner. In the first verse, Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, is now a victor, returned from battle. The HUGEst battle of all time! The last line “Crowns become the Victor’s brow” present such a contrast to the mocking, brutal crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ bleeding brow by the Roman soldiers.

The second verse has an image that is wonderfully based on the verse in 2 Corinthians 2: 14 that says, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” If you know the Roman reference St. Paul is making, you will know that conquering Roman military leaders brought their captives back from battle in a procession that showed their triumph, their power, and the ultimate destruction of the captives. Incense would be heavy in the air.

But thanks be to God! WE are in a triumphal procession, led by our Savior, that does not destroy us, but transforms us, gives us eternal life, and allows us to spread the fragrance of Christ everywhere. Kelly declares us “rich trophies” that “Jesus brings.”

The final two verses of “Look, ye saints,” reinforce why “ye saints” should be very aware of what has taken place on this day of Resurrection! Verse three explains that because of what we have seen of this victorious Lord, we should “spread abroad the Victor’s fame.” The last verse expresses the joy of seeing that “Jesus takes the highest station.” He is now at the right hand of God the Father!

As we celebrated Easter today as the Body of Christ, we felt such joy! We all felt the delight (and relief!) to be able to say (or in some cases, belt out at the top of our lungs) “Alleluia!” again. We heard the Word of God read and expounded in sermon. We sang deeply and in heartfelt manner. We did all of this to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord who had suffered such a brutal, horrific death, and then burst from the tomb three days later!

If we feel this much joy now, just imagine the joy that is to come, when we see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The Victor, return to claim all that belongs to Him. Saints, that sight will be even more glorious!

Look, ye saints! The sight is glorious;
See the Man of Sorrows now,
From the fight returned victorious;
Every knee to Him shall bow.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crowns become the Victor’s brow.

Crown the Savior, angels crown Him;
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
In the seat of power enthrone Him,
While the vault of Heaven rings.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crown the Savior King of Kings!

Sinners in derision crowned Him,
Mocking thus the Savior’s claim;
Saints and angels crowd around Him,
Own His title, praise His Name!
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Spread abroad the Victor’s fame!

Hark! those bursts of acclamation!
Hark! those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
O what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him! Crown Him!
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
(Thomas Kelly)