He is Arisen! Glorious Word

He is arisen! Glorious word!

He is Arisen! Glorious Word is a hymn text by Christian Kingo (1674) in 8.7.8.7.8.8.7 meter. Translated by Martin H. Franzmann. Found in CW21 461, CW93 162, ELH 348, elw 362.

This hymn centers Lutheran Easter proclamation on Christ's bodily resurrection as the foundation of Christian hope and the guarantee of believers' future resurrection. The text embodies the Lutheran principle that the Gospel transforms sorrow into joy and death into life through the risen Christ.

History & Background

Christian Kingo composed this hymn in Danish for Easter worship in 1674, reflecting the rich hymnody of Scandinavian Lutheranism. Martin H. Franzmann translated it into English in 1954 for Lutheran worship, capturing Kingo's jubilant proclamation of Christ's resurrection.

Hymnal Appearances

Christian Worship: Hymnal — 461
Christian Worship — 162
Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 348
Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 362
Lutheran Book of Worship — 138
Lutheran Service Book — 488
Lutheran Worship — 520
The Lutheran Hymnal — 189
Voices Together — 281

Translation

Martin H. Franzmann

Bulletin Note

Written by Danish pastor Christian Kingo in 1674, this hymn grounded Lutheran Easter faith in the bodily resurrection of Christ as the guarantee of believers' future resurrection and hope.

Preaching Connection

This hymn's movement from Christ's death to glorious resurrection embodies the Law-Gospel proclamation: death has dominion until the Word of resurrection speaks over us in baptism and faith.

Background Research

AI-assisted draft This background note was researched with AI from published hymnal sources and has not yet been checked line by line. Please verify details such as dates before relying on them.

Birgitte Katerine Boye (1742–1824); see TLH 79 (r1430). Lutheran Spokesman (Paul Krause): she married at 21 and had four children in five years. Her husband's post as royal forester was abolished, and after a year's illness he died, leaving her to raise young children. She wrote hymns in that hard period, later gathered into Guldberg's hymnal. From the Canterbury Dictionary: a single-stanza Danish hymn, first published in Guldberg's Psalme-bog (Copenhagen, 1778), in the metre of Nicolai's 'Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern' and sung to it. So an Easter stanza on the 'King of chorales' companion tune (TLH 343). Theme: Christ's resurrection assures forgiveness, peace with God and our own resurrection, sung by a young widow. G. A. T. Rygh's English (1909) first appeared in The Lutheran Hymnary (1910 printing), altered in 1913.

Sources: Canterbury Dictionary (preview); Lutheran Spokesman.

In the Church Year

Suggested in the one-year series

Easter 3 (4×)
Easter 4 (1×)

Suggested in the three-year series

Easter 6 (2×)
Easter 2 (1×)
Easter 7 (1×)

From LCMS Worship's published hymn suggestions, 2014–2026. The count is how many of those yearly lists suggested this hymn for that day.

AI-assisted draft These study notes were drafted with AI from the hymn text and have not yet been reviewed line by line. Treat them as a starting point and check them against the sources.

Overview

An Easter hymn by the Danish poet Birgitte Boye, written for the Danish hymnal of 1778 and translated by the Norwegian-American pastor George Rygh. The CCEL page gives one stanza, which crowds the whole Easter message into a single outburst set to Nicolai's majestic WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET: Christ is risen; God is reconciled; heaven is open; Satan's arrows are broken and hell's weapon destroyed; 'He was dead, but see, He liveth!' The resurrection is presented as the public proof that the atonement is accepted.

Central theme: Christ's resurrection as the proof of reconciliation with God and of victory over Satan, hell and death

Structure

One stanza in the CCEL transcription (8.8.7.8.8.7.2.2.4.4.4.8, the WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET meter). The original and later hymnals have more stanzas — check printed TLH.

Law & Gospel Shape

Gospel throughout: reconciliation, heaven opened, Satan disarmed, life given.

Confessional Connections

Rom 4:25 (TLH's text): 'delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification' — the resurrection as God's public verdict that the sacrifice is accepted (Ap IV). 'Now reconciled is God' — AC III: Christ died 'that He might reconcile the Father unto us.' Victory over Satan and hell (FC IX, Christ's descent into hell as triumph). Christ the living Lord gives life (SC Second Article).

Liturgical Use (Study Notes)

Easter; Easter season.

Historical Notes

Boye (1742-1824) contributed many hymns to Guldberg's Danish hymnal (1778). Rygh (1860-1943) translated Scandinavian hymns for Norwegian-American Lutherans.

About the Tune

WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET (Philipp Nicolai, 1599).

Scripture References

Rom 4:25 Matt 28:6 2 Cor 5:18-19 Rom 5:10 Heb 10:19-20 Col 2:15 Eph 6:16 Heb 2:14-15 1 Cor 15:55-57 John 11:25 Rev 1:18

Stanza by Stanza

1 He is arisen! Glorious word!…

He is risen — glorious word! Now God my Lord is reconciled; the gates of heaven are open. My Jesus died triumphantly, and Satan's arrows lie broken; hell's worst weapon is destroyed. Listen — what cheer! Christ victorious rises in glory and gives life: he was dead, but look, he lives!

Rom 4:25 (TLH's text). 'He is not here, for he has risen' (Matt 28:6). Reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19; AC III). Heaven's gates open (Heb 10:19-20). 'Did triumphant die' — the cross is already victory (Col 2:15). Satan's 'flaming darts' (Eph 6:16) broken. Death, hell's weapon (Heb 2:14). 'I died, and behold I am alive forevermore' (Rev 1:18).

Scripture: Rom 4:25, Matt 28:6, 2 Cor 5:18-19, Heb 10:19-20, Col 2:15, Eph 6:16, Heb 2:14-15, Rev 1:18
Imagery & language: Gates opened; arrows broken; dead yet living.
Law / Gospel: Gospel — resurrection and reconciliation.
Connection to previous: He is risen.

resurrection reconciliation Christus Victor justification

Themes

Resurrection of Christ Victory over death Gospel proclamation Joy and exultation Assurance of salvation

Look Further

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