228. Were You There

1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Were you there?)
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Were you there?)

2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (Were you there?)
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (Were you there?)

3 Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (Were you there?)
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (Were you there?)

4 Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (Were you there?)
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (Were you there?)

5 Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (Were you there?)
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (Were you there?)

Opt. 6 Were you there when he rose up from the dead?

Text Information
First Line: Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Title: Were You There
Refrain First Line: O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble
Meter: Irregular
Language: English
Publication Date: 2013
Scripture: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Topic: Christian Year: Palm Sunday; Christian Year: Maundy Thursday; Christian Year: Good Friday (1 more...)
Source: African American spiritual
Tune Information
Name: WERE YOU THERE
Arranger: Melva Wilson Costen (1987)
Meter: Irregular
Key: E♭ Major
Source: African American spiritual
Copyright: Arr. © 1990 Melva Wilson Costen


Text Information:

Few hymns from any culture have captured the pathos of Jesus’ crucifixion as movingly as this African American spiritual. Its emotional climax (and highest pitch) comes in the great “O!” at the center of each stanza, a moment that moves beyond anything words can convey.


Media
Audio recording: Audio (MP3)
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