Were You There

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Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Tune: WERE YOU THERE
Scripture Songs
Published in 213 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Playable presentation: Lyrics only, lyrics + music
Audio files: MIDI, Recording

Song available on My.Hymnary

Representative Text

1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

3 Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

4 Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?

Psalter Hymnal (Gray), 1987

Text Information

First Line: Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Title: Were You There
Meter: Irregular
Source: African-American spiritual
Language: English
Refrain First Line: O Sometimes it causes me to tremble
Notes: Swahili translation: See "Walibomshilibisha Mwokozi"
Copyright: Public Domain
Liturgical Use: Scripture Songs

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1-2 = Matt. 27:55-56
st. 3 = Luke 23:55
st. 4 = Matt. 28:1-7

An African American spiritual that probably predates the Civil War, "Were You There" was first published in William Barton's Old Plantation Hymns (1899). The spiritual's earlier roots include a white spiritual known in Tennessee as "Have you heard how they crucified my Lord?" Additional stanzas are available from oral and written tradition:

Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?

Just as modern Jews identify with the Hebrew slaves in Egypt at their Passover Seder ("When I was in Egypt"), we are encouraged in this text to identify with the witnesses to Christ's death and resurrection. With distances of geography and time removed, we become part of that great body of people who come trembling to the cross of Christ for salvation. ('Tree" in stanza 2 refers, of course, to the cross, but it was undoubtedly significant to black slaves who witnessed lynchings.)

Liturgical Use:
Stanzas 1-3 on Good Friday; stanzas 1-4 during the Paschal Vigil or at Easter sunrise services.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune

WERE YOU THERE

The congregation could sing the entire spiritual, but the tune has a call-and-response structure; try singing unaccompanied with a soloist asking the initial questions in each stanza and the congregation joining in at "Oh, sometimes." The soloist could take significant liberty with the melody and rh…

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Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 213)

A Hymnal for Friends #170

A. M. E. C. Hymnal #405

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African American Heritage Hymnal #254

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African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #136

Ambassador Hymnal #83

Text

Ancient and Modern #184

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #810

At Worship, a hymnal for young churchmen #d295

Australian Hymn Book #261

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Baptist Hymnal (1975 ed) #108

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Baptist Hymnal 1991 #156

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Baptist Hymnal 2008 #254

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Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #152

Camp Meeting Songs, a Collection of Gospel Songs ... #d159

Catholic Book of Worship #d174

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Celebrating Grace Hymnal #192

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Chalice Hymnal #198

Chapel Conference Songbook #d93

Chapel Service, Cadet Hymns and Songs #d92

Choir Favorites, Inspiring Songs for Volunteer and Rally Choirs, Vol. 3 #d62

Chorus Choir Voices, Gospel Anthems and Spirituals for Mixed Groups #d31

Christian Hymns III #d431

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Christian Praise #86

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Christian Worship (1993) #119

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Christian Worship #426

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #563

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #246

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Church Hymnary (4th ed.) #403

Church School Hymnal for Children, Grades 3 to 6 #d137

Church School Hymnal for Children, Grades I-VI #d111

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Common Praise (1998) #192

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Common Praise #126

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Community of Christ Sings #458

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Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #721

Complete Mission Praise #745

Cross and Crown Hymnal, 3rd ed. #d490

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Crowns of Rejoicing #83

E. A. C. C. Hymnal #93

Enduring Hymns #d238

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Evangelical Lutheran Worship #353

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Favorites Number 1 #73

Fellowship Hymnal, with Worship Material and Services #d146

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Folk Songs of the American Negro (No. 1) #43

Gather (3rd ed.) #511

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Gather Comprehensive #416

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Gather Comprehensive, Second Edition #438

Gems of Love #d143

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Glory and Praise (3rd. ed.) #300

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Glory to God #228

God's Singing Children #d28

Golden Bells #112

Gospel Bells #d238

Gospel Choir Choruses #d33

Gospel Crusade Hymns #d145

Gospel Hour Song Book #d146

Gospel Jubilee and Soul Melodies #d56

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Gospel Pearls #150

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Great Revival Hymns #183

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #228

Great Songs of the Church #665

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Great Tabernacle Hymns #111

Hymnal for Christian Worship #d298

Hymnal of Christian Unity #23

Hymnal of the Church of God #117

Hymnal #257

Hymnbook for Christian Worship #161

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #523

Hymns and Psalms #181

Hymns and Songs for Church Schools #d198

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Hymns for a Pilgrim People #184

Hymns for Children and Grownups to Use Together #d166

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Hymns for the Family of God #287

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Hymns for the Living Church #145

Hymns for Today #d58

Hymns of Faith and Life #170

Hymns of Fellowship #d157

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Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #403

Hymns of Grace #d481

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Hymns of Promise #170

Hymns of the Rural Spirit #106

Hymns of the Saints #267

Hymns Old and New #540

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Journeysongs (2nd ed.) #412

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Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #385

Jubilee Spirituals #67

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Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #301

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Lift Every Voice and Sing II #37

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Lift Up Your Hearts #166

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Lutheran Book of Worship #92

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Lutheran Service Book #456

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Lutheran Worship #505

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Moravian Book of Worship #354

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New Sacred Quartettes for Male, Female and Mixed Voices #37

New Songs of Inspiration (vol. one) #164

New Songs of Inspiration No. 2 #d248

New Songs of Inspiration No. 4 #d270

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One and All Rejoice #209

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One in Faith #439

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One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #326

Oramos Cantando = We Pray In Song #428

Pages

Exclude 122 pre-1979 instances
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