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I Know that My Redeemer

I know that my Redeemer lives

I Know that My Redeemer is a hymn text by Samuel Medley (1775) in C.M. meter. Found in CW21 441, CW93 152, ELH 373, elw 619.

This hymn encapsulates Lutheran Easter proclamation: Christ's resurrection as the foundation of Christian hope and redemption. It reflects the centrality of justification through faith in the living Christ, central to Lutheran soteriology.

History & Background

Written by English Baptist minister Samuel Medley in 1775, this hymn expresses confidence in Christ's resurrection and redemptive work. It has been widely adopted in Lutheran hymnals since the 19th century as a powerful Easter affirmation.

Hymnal Appearances

  • Christian Worship: Hymnal — 441
  • Christian Worship — 152
  • Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary — 373
  • Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 619
  • Gather 4th Edition — 561
  • Lutheran Book of Worship — 352
  • Lutheran Service Book — 461
  • Lutheran Worship — 367
  • The Lutheran Hymnal — 203
  • United Methodist Hymnal — 158

Bulletin Note

Penned by English hymnist Samuel Medley in 1775, this C.M. hymn captures Lutheran Easter faith: Christ's resurrection as the believer's living hope and the ground of justification through faith alone.

Preaching Connection

This hymn crystallizes the movement from Law to Gospel: our fear of judgment finds its answer in Christ the Redeemer, whose resurrection transforms condemnation into comfort for all who trust in Him.

Catechism & Confessional Connections

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.

Samuel Medley (1738-1799), a Royal Navy sailor whose leg wound nearly cost him the leg; he later became a Baptist minister in Liverpool. He wrote it there in 1775; Whitefield's Psalms and Hymns printed it the same year, unattributed, in seven stanzas; Medley published it himself in his Hymns (1800). Based on Job 19:25. Tune DUKE STREET by John Hatton, named for his street in St. Helens. Source: Wikipedia 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives'.

In the Church Year

Suggested in the one-year series

  • Easter Day (6×)
  • Trinity 16 (5×)
  • Easter Sunrise (1×)
  • Easter Vigil (1×)

Suggested in the three-year series

  • Easter Day (4×)
  • Proper 5 (2×)
  • Easter 6 (1×)
  • Easter Sunrise (1×)
  • Proper 8 (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.

Themes

Resurrection Redemption Assurance of salvation Living Christ Eternal life

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