Robert Lowry (1826-1899), the Philadelphia-born author and composer of this hymn, was a popular Baptist preacher and educator who served churches in Pennsylvania, New York City and Plainfield, NJ. He became known for his gospel songs while ministering in Brooklyn, collaborating often with William H. Doane in producing gospel song collections Among his most famous gospel compositions are “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus” and “Shall We Gather at the River”. “Low in the Grave He Lay,” called “Christ Arose” in many hymnals, was composed in 1874 while Lowry was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lewisburg, PA. It first appeared in the collection Brightest and Best (1875) under the title “He is not here, but risen—Luke 24:5.” When it was included in music evangelist Ira D. Sankey’s Sacred Songs and Solos (1875), the song became very popular in the Moody-Sankey revivals. From that point it appeared in a number of 19th-century British and American hymnals¹. My church usually always end up singing this one on Resurrection Sunday!

Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus my Saviour,
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus my Lord!

Refrain
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever,
With His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed,
Jesus my Saviour;
Vainly they seal the dead,
Jesus my Lord!

Refrain

Death cannot keep its Prey,
Jesus my Saviour;
He tore the bars away,
Jesus my Lord!

Refrain

¹umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-nineteenth-century-hymn-celebrates-the-resurrection