I See Thee Standing, Lamb of God

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.