Easter is a time of great joy for believers. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is not only an historical event of enormous theological significance. It is the very center of the unique power of the Christian faith. Paul made that clear when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 that if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our faith is in vain and we are to be pitied above all people for placing our hope in a myth. But as Paul went on to say, Christ has indeed been raised the dead. He is the Lamb who was slain but is now alive, and who is celebrated in heaven, as John recorded in Revelation. For Christians, Easter is indeed a time for great joy.
Unlike them, non Christians have tried to impose a counterfeit joy on this holiday. Chocolate Easter bunnies, Easter baskets filled with candy, Easter egg hunts, and new Easter dresses make a sorry substitute for the “real” Easter. The joy that comes from such replacements is very brief and unsatisfying. While we wouldn’t want to call such celebrations “evil” (they can be a time of valuable family joy), there is a sense in which Satan is behind such things as his way of trying to promote them in place the true Easter event.
Our joy is reflected in the great resurrection hymns that we have in our hymnals. All of us could quickly name many hymns and carols about Christmas. But can we do as well with hymns and carols about Easter? Jesus’ birth didn’t save anyone, though many liberals think everyone is saved just because Jesus became a human being (salvation by incarnation!). No, it was His death and resurrection that saves His elect, paying the debt we owed because of our sins, and rising from the dead in victory, proving that the Father accepted His vicarious death as our substitute.
Among the resurrection hymns in our repertoire is an Easter song by Samuel Medley (1738-1799), “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” the best-known of the many hymns he wrote. Born on June 23rd 1738 in Chestnut, England, Medley was the son of a School teacher. While studying with his grandfather, Medley was taught to live faithfully by Christian values, but he was not interested in following what was learning. As he grew up, Medley became friends with boys who were not godly, and led sinful lives. Eventually at the age of 14, Medley was given an apprenticeship with an oil-man in London, but he only lasted 3 years with him before he began searching for a way out. After finding a loop-hole in the law, Medley discovered that a person can leave an apprenticeship and join the military service, which led him to join the British Royal Navy. While in the Navy, Medley’s life style did not improve, but rather became even more crass and profane than before.
In 1759, during the Seven Years’ War (a way involving most of Europe), Medley’s ship engaged in a naval battle with a French ship, during which Medley’s leg was severely injured. After the battle was over, Medley’s leg continued to grow worse, even to the point of potentially facing amputation of the leg to save Medley’s life. One evening, the physician aboard the ship told him that if his leg did not improve by morning, they would have to amputate or he could face death. During the night, Medley turned back and remembered what his grandfather had taught him when he was younger, and he began to pray vigorously that his leg might be spared. The next morning, to the surprise of all on the ship, the physician examined the leg and determined that it had healed so well that amputation was no longer needed.
Immediately afterward, Medley returned to his room, found the Bible his grandfather had given him, and began reading. When Medley’s ship finally returned to England, he was sent to his grandfather’s house where he was allowed to recover. Eventually, during his recovery, Medley’s grandfather read a sermon written by Isaac Watts, which moved Medley so greatly, that he was immediately converted. After his conversion, Medley began attending the Baptist Church in Eagle Street, London. Shortly after, Medley opened a school, which he ran with great success for nearly six years, but then he found a new calling.
In 1767, Medley began preaching, and eventually became so popular in his teachings that he was called to be Pastor at the Baptist Church in Watford, England. After five short years in Watford, Medley moved on to Byrom Street, Liverpool, where he gathered a large congregation over a 27 year period. Medley took a special interest in the souls of Seamen and Servicemen, and was so wildly popular that soon his meeting place could not sustain the number of people coming to hear him preach. After a short time, the meeting space was enlarged, but this would prove useless as the number of people coming to hear the sermons was still growing. Eventually the crowds grew so great that an entirely new building had to be constructed to allow room for everyone who wanted to hear the words of Medley. Although his career was successful, Medley fell ill and maintained his illness for quite some time. After his long fight, Medley finally passed away July 17th 1799. But many of his hymns maintain their popularity, one of the most famous of which is “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.”
Medley’s hymn text is a more extensive statement of Job’s testimony as found in Job 19:25-27. In the midst of all his suffering, this Old Testament saint maintained his confidence, not only in God’s goodness, but more specifically in God’s existence. Job knew that he was not alone; his God was alive and sovereignly at work in his circumstances. Here is where Christians find their hope as well. We have a Redeemer who was dead and is now alive. We are not alone. And we will not remain in the grave, since our Redeemer has been raised from the grave.
The common theme throughout every stanza of the hymn is that phrase, “He (or my Redeemer) lives” … repeated more than thirty times in the eight stanzas! In contrast to every other religion in the world, our founder is not in a grave. He lives!
Stanza 1 combines confident knowledge that Christ is alive with the blessed comfort this gives us. If He were not alive today, there would be bitterness rather than the sweetness found in this sentence. Jesus was truly dead, His body resting in the tomb for three days. But now and forever He lives, our “ever living Head.”
I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.
Stanza 2 points us to what this living Savior is able to do for His people today. Four things are mentioned in the lines of this stanza, each with a descriptive verb. He blesses us, pleads for us, feeds our souls, and helps us in times of need.
He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
Stanza 3 points to something greater than the everyday blessings we receive. The resurrection is all about victory, which is spelled out here as the result of Jesus’ being alive right now. His triumph from the grave means that He is able to save us for eternity. Right now He is alive in the heavens, highly exalted there.
He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives all glorious in the sky,
He lives exalted there on high.
Stanza 4 turns again to the present benefits this brings to us. Once again, there are four verbs: granting us rich supply, guiding us with His eye, comforting us when we faint, and hearing our souls’ complaints (which are many!). We would have none of this if that crucified Savior were still in the grave.
He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
Stanza 5 continues with descriptive verbs about what this living Savior is doing for each of us who belong to Him, and continues to do so every day. He silences all our fears, wipes away our tears, calms our troubled hearts, and imparts countless blessings to us.
He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.
Stanza 6 brings in some of the theology that flows from this resurrection reality. As the friend of sinners, He assures us of His love, a love from which we cannot be separated by anything in all of creation (Romans 8:38-39). And so we sing to this one who so gloriously carries out the roles of Prophet (teaching us God’s Word), Priest (offering Himself as a sacrifice and interceding for us before the throne of grace), and King (conquering, ruling, defending, and providing) for His people.
He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
Stanza 7 moves from our present daily experiences to our final moments. The one who “grants me daily breath” assures me that “I shall conquer death.” At present, we await the day when He will have completed preparations on our mansions, knowing that He is able and willing “to bring me safely there.”
He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
Stanza 8 expresses the worship that rises up from our hearts as we meditate on this Easter theme. Jesus is worthy of all praise, as the one who is always the same, yesterday and today and tomorrow. We conclude with that same phrase from stanza one: the sweet joy this sentence gives. What sentence? That simple two word sentence: “He lives!”
He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!
The hymn is most often sung to the tune DUKE STREET. Its first appearance came anonymously in Henry Boyd’s 1793 publication of a “Select Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes.” Eventually the tune was credited to one John Hatton, of which virtually nothing is known, other than he lived on Duke Street in St. Helen, Lancaster, England. The tune is only one of many different potential tunes that can be used with this given text.
Here is a link to a congregation singing the hymn in worship, using some but not all of the stanzas.