Fourth Sunday of Easter: At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing

Fourth Sunday of Easter: At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing May 12, 2019

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious King,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from his pierced side;
Praise we him whose love divine
Gives his sacred blood for wine,
Gives his body for the feast,
Christ the Victim, Christ the Priest.

Where the paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal Victim, Paschal Bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.

Mighty victim from on high,
hell’s fierce powers beneath thee lie;
thou hast conquered in the fight,
thou has brought us life and light.
now no more can death appall,
now no more the grave enthrall:
thou has opened paradise,
and in thee thy saints shall rise.

Easter triumph, Easter joy,
these alone do sin destroy.
From sin’s power do thou set free
souls new-born, O Lord, in thee.
Hymns of glory, songs of praise,
Father, unto thee we raise;
risen Lord, all praise to thee
with the Spirit ever be.

-Latin, 4th century; trans. Robert Campbell, 1849


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