The Hymn of the Day, At the Lamb’s
High Feast We Sing (LSB
#633), is an ancient hymn of praise to the Lamb who was slain, but is now risen
and gives us His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins, and the
strengthening of our faith. Stanza 7 speaks once more of the Newness of the
Resurrection, proclaiming that the resurrection of Christ has destroyed sin—Easter
triumph, Easter joy!—and made us to be newborn souls. Alleluia!
“At the
Lamb’s High Feast We Sing” (LSB 633) is
one of my all-time favorites. The tune
(SONNE DER GERECHTIGKEIT) is awesome, although it can be difficult to sing if
the organist does not pick just the right tempo. But it’s the text that really draws me in. This hymn expresses Lutheran sacramental
theology so well. It reminds me of the
Weimar Altar Painting, which was done by Lucas Cranach the Younger.
Right from the start of this marvelous hymn we see
Christ giving us the gifts of His cross. “At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious King, Who has washed us in the tide Flowing from His
pierced side. Alleluia!” It is in the
broken body and shed blood of Christ that we receive the forgiveness of
sins. Some paintings show angels flying
around Christ on the cross, collecting His blood with a chalice. That is a wonderful picture of what the
Lord’s Supper is. Indeed, it is the very
same blood depicted in the painting, the very same blood that stained our
Lord’s cross that we drink in the Sacrament of the Altar.
This imagery continues throughout the entire hymn, not
mourning the death of Christ, but celebrating the victory over sin, death, and
the devil that He accomplished with His death on the cross and His resurrection
on Easter Sunday. See the third stanza,
for example: “Where the paschal blood is poured, Death’s dread angel sheathes
the sword; Israel’s hosts triumphant go Through the wave that drowns the
foe. Alleluia!”
There are so many images in this stanza that it is
almost overwhelming. First, we see the
blood of the lamb at the Passover in Egypt, where God caused the angel of death
to pass over those houses. Then we see
God rescuing His people by parting the waters of the Red Sea, and then causing
those waters to drown the Egyptians. But
these points to even greater events, where the blood of Christ redeemed the
entire world from their sins, which is then brought to us through the waters of
Holy Baptism, where our Old Adam is drowned and the New Man rises from the
depths.[2]
Prayer for
newness of life through confession and absolution: Almighty, everlasting God, for our many sins we
justly deserve eternal condemnation. In Your mercy You sent Your dear Son, our
Lord Jesus Christ, who won for us forgiveness of sins and everlasting
salvation. Grant us a true confession that, dead to sin, we may be raised up by
Your life-giving absolution. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may be ever
watchful and live true and godly lives in Your service; through Jesus Christ,
our Lord. Amen.[3]
– 14 May, 2022
[1] Artwork by Ed Riojas © Higher Things
[3] Collect for newness of life through confession and absolution, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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