Easter Poems for Resurrection Day
Celebrate the resurrection of our glorious Savior Jesus Christ at Easter or any time with these Christian poems for Resurrection Day and reflect on what His risen life means for those God has raised with Him.
The Nail Prints in His Hands
The Nail Prints in His Hands
His hands and feet still bear the marks
From hanging on the tree;
The nail-scars tell a silent tale
That speaks to you and me.
They mark humiliation’s day
When Jesus bore our sin;
In lonely shame He died for us
That we might enter in.
They mark His triumph over death
For He who died now lives,
And by the power of that life
New life to us He gives.
They’re marks of pain and yet of peace,
Of everlasting grace;
Reminders for eternal day
That He has bought our place.
He bears the nail-prints in His hands
Which reach to you and me
To offer life, salvation, joy
For all eternity.
Christina Joy Hommes
O Day of Resurrection!
O Day of Resurrection!
O day of resurrection
Alive with promise bright
Of endless life and glory
Beyond the shades of night,
We greet you with rejoicing,
With hymns and anthems sweet
Because our foes lie conquered
Beneath our Savior’s feet!
We lift our hearts in praises
To Him who rose to life,
Who bought with His own life-blood
The triumph in the strife;
He took our sins and sorrows
And died upon the tree
That for the vast forever
We might be fully free.
We bring our happy worship
With glad and joyful song
To honor our Redeemer
So loving, good, and strong;
For when He rose to glory,
He proved our debt was paid
Forever, fully canceled –
We need not be afraid
So on this happy morning
Above the rest we bring
Our joyful songs of praises
To Jesus Christ our King,
For by Your resurrection
You made us free and new –
Eternal hallelujahs
Be evermore to You!
Christina Joy Hommes
Seeing Jesus At the Cross
(Abbreviated version below full poem.)
Seeing Jesus at the Cross
I see Him in the Garden bowed
In agony to pray,
“Lord, if you can, remove this cup,
But do your will I pray.”
I see Him in His captor’s hands
As gentle as a Lamb,
Though He had just displayed His strength
When He had said, “I Am.”
I see Him in the Jewish court,
Unjustly tried at night,
Declaring that He’d someday judge
If what they did was right.
I see Him look at Peter’s face
And know He was betrayed,
Yet show such love and pity still
For one for whom He’d prayed.
I see Him stand in Pilate’s hall
Without the least reply
Until He offered Pilate truth
And warned the guilt won’t die.
I see Him mocked and pierced by thorns,
I see Him beaten, scourged,
All for my sake, to make me His,
When all my sins were purged.
I see Him led outside the camp,
Bowed down beneath a cross,
Too weak to bear it by Himself
From so much pain and loss.
I see Him walking up the hill
Where grace would answer law,
Still more concerned for those He loved
Than for His pain so raw.
I see Him nailed to yonder tree,
The Son of God and man,
Between two thieves hung up in shame
To keep salvation’s plan.
I see Him cry in deep despair,
“My God, My God,” then say,
“Why have You turned Your back on me?”
For God had turned away.
I see Him shout in victory,
“It’s finished!” All is done.
He bore God’s wrath and paid sin’s debt –
The conquest had been won!
I see Him bow His thorn-crowned brow
Then breath His last and die;
He freely gave Himself, a gift,
My life with His to buy.
I see Him wrapped and laid within
An empty borrowed tomb;
Three days and nights as He had said
Earth felt an awful gloom.
I see Him rise in victory
To die again no more –
The Victor over sin and death
Alive forevermore!
I see Him tender as He calls
To Mary through her tears;
He called her name to give her hope,
And scatter all her fears.
I see Him teach the two who walked
With heavy hearts that day
And show them how God’s Word had said
It had to be this way.
I see Him in the upper room
Reveal His hands and feet –
The Lamb once slain now raised to life
In victory complete.
I see Him back in Galilee
With Peter by the lake
Forgiving and restoring him
For love and mercy’s sake.
I see Him blessing those He loved
Whom He had made His own,
When clouds received Him from their sight
Ascending to His throne.
I see Him calling now to us
To turn to Him and live,
And interceding for His own –
Gifts only He could give.
I see Him waiting to return
To judge and to reward;
Will you be ready when He comes
Our mighty risen Lord?
Christina Joy Hommes
***
Seeing Jesus at the Cross
I see Him mocked and pierced by thorns,
I see Him beaten, scourged,
All for my sake, to make me His,
When all my sins were purged.
I see Him nailed to yonder tree,
To die there in my place,
My sin and shame He freely took
To give me life and grace.
I see Him shout in victory,
“It’s finished!” All is done.
He bore God’s wrath and paid sin’s debt –
The conquest had been won!
I see Him wrapped and laid within
An empty borrowed tomb;
Three days and nights as He had said
Earth felt an awful gloom.
I see Him rise in victory
To die again no more –
The Victor over sin and death
Alive forevermore!
I see Him waiting to return
To judge and to reward;
Will you be ready when He comes
Our mighty risen Lord?
Christina Joy Hommes
The Easter Angels
The Easter Angels
On Resurrection Sunday
An angel rolled away
The stone that blocked the entrance
To Jesus’ tomb that day.
In shining robes of glory
The angel came to show
The Lord of life had risen
So everyone could know.
Then, as the women weeping
Came down and were dismayed,
The angels got to show them
Where Jesus had been laid.
“He isn’t here, He’s risen!
Just like He said, He lives.”
Oh, what a happy message!
What joy and hope it gives!
Now angels ever praise Him –
The Lamb upon His throne –
And we can join the chorus
Which since that day has grown:
Lord, You alone are worthy
Of glory, honor, praise
For You have died and risen –
We marvel at Your ways.
Christina Joy Hommes
Contrasts
Contrasts
Born in a cattle stall
Though He was earth’s Creator
And ruled from heaven’s hall.
He came to live among us
And share our pain and tears
Though He was Lord of nations
The God of endless years.
He came to be rejected
By those He loved to death
Though He was King of glory
And gave each person breath.
He came to die like sinners
To take our guilt and sin
Though He was true and sinless
Completely pure within.
He came to rise immortal
The firstfruits from the grave;
Though He was life’s Composer
He died and rose to save.
He came to be our Savior,
Our Brother, Lord, and Friend
So we would love and trust Him
Whose mercy has no end.
Christina Joy Hommes
Nothing to Fear
Nothing to Fear
Death could not hold the Son of God,
Guards couldn’t keep Him in;
He rose victorious over all
And conquered death and sin.
If death itself was weak before
The mighty Lord of life,
Can anything hold back His hand
Or foil Him in the strife?
If sin is vanquished by the cross
Can anything restrain
The great salvation that He gives
Which breaks sin’s final chain?
If Satan’s head is crushed by Christ
Through death and victory,
What can he do to those Christ loves
The ones from sin set free?
There is no fear or judgment left
For those who know and love
The Lord of life who died to save
And reigns as King above.
Christina Joy Hommes
My Resurrected Savior
My resurrected Savior
Forever sits above
Resplendent in His glory
And clothed in holy love.
His eyes like flames of fire,
His feet like brass aglow,
His voice like many waters,
His hair as white as snow,
His clothing pure and spotless,
His face bright as the sun,
His words a sword well-tempered,
His people’s rescue won,
His Name the highest honor
His Father could bestow,
His throne exalted over
All things above, below,
His heart set on His people,
His life still spent for them,
His love the bride He purchased –
His chosen, well-loved gem.
This resurrected Savior,
The King of endless day,
Is mine – O, glorious promise!
Come quickly, Lord, I pray.
Christina Joy Hommes
He Took My Place
My Savior took my place and died –
He gave His life for me.
His precious blood to me applied
Has made me ever free.
For on the cross my sin was laid
Upon God’s perfect Son;
The sinless One for me was made
As if my sin He’d done.
My record, black with guilt and shame,
Was given to Him there;
As me He died – O praise His Name!
Himself He did not spare.
Clothed in my sin, He died alone.
The Father could not look.
He turned His presence from His own
While earth in horror shook.
Condemned to die for what I’ve done
God’s wrath toward me He bore.
Behold the sorrow of the Son –
Remember evermore.
When all was done, He loudly cried,
“It’s finished!” All was done.
He bowed His head and freely died –
The victory was won.
My shame was gone, my guilt had fled,
My debt was paid in full.
The Father, pleased, received His dead.
Sin’s stains were white as wool.
As dawn began to break with light,
(Let all who live adore!)
The Lamb of God in garments bright
Arose to die no more!
He rose and shattered death with life,
He crushed the fearsome grave,
He lives victorious in the strife,
He came to seek and save.
Alive forever now He lives
Exalted over all.
Eternal life He freely gives
To any who will call.
To those who call upon His Name
And trust in Him alone,
He gives the hope His hosts proclaim
And names each as His own.
He takes their sin, and in its place
His righteousness He gives.
Oh what a change! What matchless grace!
My Savior ever lives.
And while He lives to intercede,
His gift of life is sure.
His precious blood will ever plead
While God shall still endure.
Now, in His place, I stand before
God’s throne in perfect light –
Christ’s righteousness forevermore
Is mine by gifted right.
My sins are gone – they’re mine no more
Since Jesus took them all.
His perfect life is furthermore
My own – I cannot fall.
How can it be? I do not know,
I cannot understand,
Why God would die His love to show.
And yet it’s what He planned.
Christ took my place and died for me
Then rose to make His mine.
I’ll praise Him through eternity
For love so vast, divine.
Christina Joy Hommes
O What a Savior!
Risen triumphant, exalted on high
Far above all other things,
Sitting in power and glory and might –
King above all other kings.
Victor through death over sin, death, and hell,
Girded with strength and a sword;
Conqueror reigning unchallenged in light –
Over all lords He is Lord.
Worthy of worship from all that He made,
Seated in strength all alone;
No one can purchase exemption or grace –
He is the King on His throne.
All knees will bow to this conquering King,
All tongues confess He is Lord;
Every dissenter and rebel will fall
Conquered at once by His Word.
This is the Savior who died for my sin,
Rose to declare I am free,
Offers a place on His throne now to me –
O what a Savior is He!
Christina Joy Hommes
Resurrection Sunday, 2018
Resurrection Sunday, 2017
Come, see the tomb is empty
Where Christ our Savior lay,
The grave clothes lie there vacant,
The stone is rolled away.
Come, hear the angel speaking –
“He is not here, He lives!
He’s coming soon to meet you,
To comfort, save, forgive.”
Come, touch His risen body –
The nail prints in His hands,
His feet, His side – believing,
As in our midst He stands.
Come, speak His Name with reverence,
Our Lord and God, our King,
Exalted, risen, glorious –
His worth and praise we sing.
Christina Joy Hommes