Victory Over Death

 

Yesterday was Easter, which celebrates Christ’s victory over death. But He didn’t do it for Himself. He conquered death for me. Oh yes, I’ll still die physically, but my life will go on in wonderful ways I can’t even begin to imagine.

That’s why I want an Easter hymn at my funeral. In particular, I want “The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done.”

It’s an old hymn with an anonymous author, and it first appeared in a 1695 hymn collection called Symphonia Sirenum Selectarum. Francis Potts translated it into English in 1859.

Each stanza of the hymn has three parts. The first deals with Christ’s battle with the forces of evil, the second with His victory over them, and the third with our praises. Each verse ends with “Alleluia,” and the hymn itself begins and ends with a string of three Alleluias. Depending on the hymnal, there are minor differences in the words, however. Here they are from The Lutheran Service Book:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The strife is o’er, the battle done;

Now is the victor’s triumph won;

Now be the song of praise begun.

Alleluia!

The pow’rs of death have done their worst,

But Christ their legions hath dispersed.

Let shouts of holy joy outburst.

Alleluia!

The three sad days have quickly sped,

He rises glorious from the dead.

All glory to our risen Head!

Alleluia!

He broke the age-bound chains of hell;

The bars from heav’n’s high portals fell.

Let hymns of praise His triumph tell.

Alleluia!

Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee,

From death’s dread sting Thy servants free

That we may live and sing to Thee.

Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Of course, Christ didn’t just die for me. He died for you, too. Even if you don’t use this hymn at your funeral, I pray it will resound there.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

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The picture at the top of this post shows a relief on the exterior of Helsinki Cathedral. I took the photo on our trip to Finland in 2019 as part of a Baltic cruise.