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By Mary Richards, Church News
The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have invited members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to celebrate and focus on the Easter season.
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An image of the resurrected Savior Jesus Christ, from a January 3, 2025, social media post from President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Screenshot from Facebook, courtesy of Church News. All rights reserved.Three new Easter-specific hymns were released in the latest batch of new hymns. And several other new releases are also particularly suitable for Easter observance, said Sam Bostwick, who works on sacred music in the Church’s Priesthood and Family Department
“Studying and teaching the gospel from the hymns can be so powerful because the poetry of the lyrics and the musical melody help the doctrinal truths get into our minds and hearts,” Bostwick said.
The hymns are found in the “Hymns — For Home and Church” section of ChurchofJesusChrist.org, in the Gospel Library and in the Sacred Music app.
These songs can be sung by a ward congregation, choir, small group or soloist during Sunday meetings leading up to and including Easter. They also can be listened to in the home.
People can learn more about them by using the “About the Hymns” resource in the Gospel Library. A chapter for each hymn contains the hymns’ story, more about the hymn writers, as well as study prompts, scriptural references and linked resources.
The song-specific chapters are also linked near the bottom of the “lyrics” view of the digital hymn pages on the Gospel Library, Music Library or Sacred Music apps.
The Newest Easter-specific Hymns
1. “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise”
This hymn evokes the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but was actually written by 18th-century English preacher Charles Wesley to commemorate the Ascension, when the resurrected Savior ascended to heaven after spending 40 days with His disciples, explains the chapter about this hymn.
The third verse is:
“See, He lifts His hands above! Alleluia!
See, He shows the prints of love! Alleluia!
Hark! His gracious gifts bestow, Alleluia!
Blessings on His Church below. Alleluia!"
Larry A. Hiller, a writer and editor for many years for the Church magazines, was invited to write a new text in 2011 for George J. Elvey’s 1868 tune. It was published in the April 2012 Ensign as “Rise Up, Ye Saints, Rejoice.” Then, in 2024, Hiller revised the text to strengthen its message of rejoicing in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, says the chapter about this hymn.
This hymn’s lyrics include:
“Lo, how the cross stood bare,
How empty lay the tomb,
When Easter, dawning bright and fair,
Dispelled the pall of gloom.
For Jesus vanquished death,
And all will be restored
When ev’ry soul draws living breath
Through Christ, the risen Lord."
3. “Were You There?”
The chapter about this hymn explains that it belongs to the tradition of African American spiritual songs and prompts singers to imagine witnessing the Savior’s death and Resurrection.
While the first three verses end with an expression of grief, the fourth verse has a joyful declaration to shout “glory”:
“Were you there when He rose up from the dead?
Were you there when He rose up from the dead?
Oh! Sometimes I feel like shouting Glory! Glory! Glory!
Were you there when He rose up from the dead?"
Other New Hymns That Can Be Used for Easter Observances
The Church’s YouTube video of a choir of Primary children singing this song in October 2024 general conference has been viewed more than a million times. Other videos also exist and have been shared across social media and viewed countless times. Melanie Hoffman wrote this hymn, writing the words and music to build to the lyrics’ declaration:
“The fight was won by Jesus!”
“Behold the Wounds in Jesus’ Hands”
The Savior, Jesus Christ, used the word “behold” in His teaching. This hymn invites people to behold the visible reminders of Jesus Christ’s atoning love, says the chapter about this hymn. The music and lyrics were written by John V. Pearson and David R. Naylor, who both sang in the Tabernacle Choir.
The lyrics include these lines:
"Come, open wide your broken heart
And let your Savior in!"
When the late President James E. Faust was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he sent thoughts and scriptures to composer Michael Finlinson Moody, explains the chapter about this hymn. Moody asked Jan Underwood Pinborough to help write the text. When President Faust passed away in 2007, the Tabernacle Choir sang it at his funeral.
“This is the Christ, the holy Son of God—
Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.
This is the Christ, the Healer of our souls,
Who ransomed us with love divine."
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