Jesus Lives, and So Shall I

Jesus lives, and so shall I.

Death! thy sting is gone forever!

He who deigned for me to die,

lives, the bands of death to sever.

He shall raise me from the dust:

Jesus is my hope and trust.

Jesus lives and reigns supreme;

and, his kingdom still remaining,

I shall also be with him,

ever living, ever reigning.

God has promised; be it must:

Jesus is my hope and trust.

Jesus lives, and by his grace,

vict'ry o'er my passions giving,

I will cleanse my heart and ways,

ever to his glory living.

Me he raises from the dust:

Jesus is my hope and trust.

Jesus lives! I know full well

naught from him my heart can sever,

life nor death nor pow'rs of hell,

joy nor grief, henceforth forever.

None of all his saints is lost:

Jesus is my hope and trust.

Jesus lives, and death is now

but my entrance into glory.

Courage, then, my soul, for thou

hast a crown of life before thee;

thou shalt find thy hopes were just:

Jesus is the Christian's trust.

by Christian F.  Gellert, 1715 –1769

Translated by Philip Schaff, 1819 –1893

Hymn Background

 Christian Gellert, the author behind the German version of this hymn was a well-known author, poet and forerunner of the Golden Age of German Literature. He started his work as a pastor, but had difficulty memorizing his manuscripts which was a requirement of the church at the time.  

Gellert then became a professor and an excellent one with the likes of Lessing and Goethe among his students. He was well-loved by all his pupils and was known for taking a personal interest in each one.

His love for God and God's Word is evident throughout his many hymns. Classical music lovers will appreciate that Gellert is the man behind the words of Beethoven's "The Heavens Are Telling."