Above: Ghent Altarpiece, by Jan van Eyck
Image in the Public Domain
Original Danish Words by Hans Adolf Brorson (1694-1764)
English Translation by Olav Lee (1859-1943), a Norwegian-American Lutheran minister and professor at Augustana and St. Olaf Colleges
Hymn Source = Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (1996), Evangelical Lutheran Synod
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1. 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.
2. 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.
What lion strength Thy nail-pierced hands
Our death the death-blow gave,
And broken were our prison bands
When Thou didst rend Thy grave.
3. Around Thy throne a throng doth stream
In raiment white as snow,
Their eyes like suns 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.
4. Twelve times twelve thousand Thee acclaim,
Each with his harp in hand,
Upon their brow Thy Father’s name
Makes known that happy band.
As voice of many waters rise
Their rapt’rous symphony;
To Thee who us Paradise
Eternal praises be.
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