Easter Poems

(a number of years ago I dreamed of writing an Easter Musical. It never happened but I have some of the poems here that I was hoping to work with...) 



Palm Sunday Song

Lay down your best garments, make way for your King,
O, raise up your voices and joyfully sing,
Praise Him for the mighty works that He has done,
Hail Him blessed King, hail Him, mighty One!

So raise up your voices and joyfully shout,
For if we are silent the stones will cry out!
Raise up your voices and hail your great King,
Let all of God's people lift their voices and sing.

Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed be the King
Who comes in the name of the Lord!
Our lips will not be silent
For you've told us in Your word
If we should cease Your praises
The stones will then cry out!
So, from the dungeons to the mountains,
Let all Your people shout!

Hosanna in the highest, O, most blessed art Thou,
Hosanna to the Son of David, Will you join us now?
Blessed is the King of kings who cometh in His name!
Hosanna! Glory to the Lord and peace in earth and Heav'n..

O, let us not be silent, let all His people shout,
Lest we forget and then the stones would instantly cry out!
For His great Name, He will be praised and His will be done,
And His praises, if they must, will rise up from the stones.

O, what if we were silent and the stones would then cry out?
Never, Lord, no never! Let all His people shout!
Hosanna in the highest and hail our mighty King!
Forever and forever triumphantly we'll sing!

Praise Him! Praise Him! For all that He hath done,
Praises to the Father and praises to the Son!
King of kings and Prince of Peace,
We'll never let Your praises cease!
Lest the rocks should cry out, lest the rocks should cry out!
Let His people shout , let His people shout.


The Lord's Supper


Take, eat, this is my body,
My body which is broken for You,
Drink this cup and remember the blood,
The blood that I shed for you,
For as many as share the bread and the cup
To remember me ‘til I come,
With Me someday will joyfully sup
In yonder Heavenly home.

But tonight you all will scatter
as a flock of wandering sheep.
Because of Me, you will be offended,
In fear and sorrow weep.
Tonight one of you will betray me,
His disciples begin to cry,
In disbelief they ask Him,
Is it I, Lord, is it I?

They search His face in sorrow
As they lean upon His knee,
Tonight you all will leave me,
He repeats so tenderly,
But Peter rises to His feet
His Master to defy,
And Peter turns to Jesus
And this was his reply....

(next read Peter’s reply)


Peter's Reply (his love song to Jesus)


I love you, Lord, I love You,
O, my Jesus, don't you know
How faithfully I love you
Or how far I would go
To prove my sure devotion
Would take all of my days,
My lips will not falter
My feet will never stray

Cause my love's like a river that never runs dry,
It's as bright as the twinkle in a young lovers eye,
It's as high as the heavens and as deep as the sea,
Such, O, my Lord, is my love for Thee.

I would walk through a desert of burning sand,
If that's where You lead me I'll hold Your hand,
To the top of a mountain, my Lord, I would trod,
For Jesus, I believe You're the Son of God.

I'll go to prison if You ask me to,
Anything You desire, my Lord, I will do,
Though all others leave You, never will I,
For You, my dear Lord, I would even die.

But I could never, no never, no never leave You,
Cause I love You, I love You, You know that I do,
Forever and ever, my whole life through,
I love You! I love You! My Lord, I love You!



Peter’s Denial


Hey! You over there by the fire,
I think that I have seen you
with that Jesus of Nazareth man,
Are you one of them too?

"I don't know Him, I don't know Him!
Oh, I do not understand
exactly what you're saying
for I DO NOT know this man!"

Cock crows

There he is! He's one of them,
Say! You're from Galilee,
I believe that I've seen you with Him
And your speech betrayeth thee!

"I don't know Him! I don't know Him!
Oh, how can you say
that I am also one of them
When I've first seen Him today?"

Hey, sir! Are you with Jesus?
I say! You're one of them!
You walk like Him, you talk like Him,
You are Gal-il-ean!

"I don't know Him! I don't know Him!
Hey! I will even swear
I have never in my lifetime
seen this man anywhere!"

Cock crows two more times.. and Peter remembers his love song to Jesus,
and Peter weeps bitterly.


 The Betrayal


The birds in the trees are silent,
The flowers close their eyes,
The trees bend low in sorrow
As they hear their Master's cries
The moon in the sky is darkened,
The wind has ceased to blow,
For here within the garden
All nature seems to know....as it cries

Daily You walked in our splendor,
Daily we hailed You as King!
Our Master, our Creator,
Maker of everything,
Lord of all creation,
Let nothing halt our song,
But now we bow in sorrow
For our Maker's hour is come,
Yes, our Maker's hour is come.

The disciples lay a-sleeping,
Subdued in slumbers bliss,
No silent tears or weeping
In this prelude to The Kiss,
Then lo, what breaks the silence?
What is this doleful beat?
A song of doom and violence
Shod upon their feet!

Jesus speaks, "Arise, arise,
Behold, he is at hand!
The one who will betray me
Before us now doth stand!"
Judas cries ,"Hail Master!"
And kisses the Son of Man,
Then Jesus turns to Judas,
And Jesus calls him "Friend." As He says

"Daily I sat in your temple,
Daily you heard my words,
And yet you bring an army
To betray the Lord of lords?
Daily you heard my teaching,
Do you not know who I am?
And yet you bring your swords and knives
With which to slay a Lamb?
.........and yet you bring your swords and knives
To betray the Son of Man!"

Janet~


You Should Have Had a Palace 

You should have had a palace, a soft and royal gown
A gentle little cradle and on Your head a crown
You should have had each stately hall filled with celebration
As earth received in helpless form the Hand of all creation

But instead of a palace, a stable with a lowly manger bed
Instead of a crown and a royal gown, no pillow for Your head
Instead of a ball in a stately hall, a hillside cold and dim
Where shepherds heard the angel’s word and came to worship Him

You should have had a chariot with a throne in which to ride
Golden flower petals to scatter at Your side
Purple and scarlet satin would be too plain a gown
Rubies, pearls and diamonds too lowly for Your crown

But instead of a chariot ,a donkey, a plain and homely beast
A piece of bread to remember Your death was Your parting feast
The scarlet You wore was the blood that poured from Your wounded side
Your crown was thorns and instead of a throne, a cross on which You died

I should have no hope or pardon, no reason to be glad
I should be bowed low in sorrow, in shame hang down my head
I should be mocked and beaten and hated all day long
Tears should be my bread and meat and weeping be my song

But instead of hate there was mercy, instead of death there was grace
Instead of doom and a cloud of gloom there’s a smile upon my face
Instead of a load on a hopeless road there is Heaven up above
And that cross on the hill is empty still because of a Savior’s love

It should have been me upon that cross instead of the King of kings
But so one soul should not be lost You endured my sufferings
Instead of a king a servant, You hung on the cross for me
May I praise You and in return forever Your servant be


That Changes Everything!

He was born in a stable, centuries ago
Left glorious heaven for earth’s pain and woe
Why He was born, mankind did not know
But He was and that changes everything

Multitudes followed wherever He tread
Mystified by the words that He said
As the sick were healed and demons fled
At the Hand that changes everything

The fearful sought to kill Him then
This One who knew the hearts of men
As mobs chanted “Crucify Him”
They did, and that changes everything

Scourging, mocking, thorns, a sword
Then they crucified the Lord
But they could not hold back the words
He cried, and that changes everything

“It is finished” sins hopeless price
Paid in full by His sacrifice
As He died; the life of Jesus Christ
Given for all and that changes everything

But oh this is not the end of the story
Death could never claim the victory
As He arose in power and glory
He lives, and that changes everything

Janet~






Who Took My Place?

Bound by sins dark chains
Condemned and doomed stood I
No  hope of life to gain
As Justice raised her cry
“Only, only death for thee
No hope, no hope to be set free,”
But then came One with head bowed low
He said to Justice “let her go”
Oh, who is this who took my place?
With crimson teardrops on His face

The King of kings and Lord of lords
No higher title can there be
When Justice raised her angry sword
Someone offered His life for me
Oh, my Lord, who could he be?
Who cared enough to set me free?
I raised my head to hear these words
The King of kings and Lord of lords

I fell upon the ground
As Justice screamed her plea
No reason could be found
That I should be set free
“Guilty, guilty,” was her cry
Her lone verdict “she must die,”
But then came One with head bowed low
He said to Justice “let her go”
Tell me, tell me who could this be?
Oh, who would take my place for me?

The King of kings and Lord of lords
No higher throne will ever be
Oh Lord, my God there are no words
To fully spell His deity
King of kings and Lord of lords
Oh, my Savior can it be
The King of kings and Lord of lords
Has paid my debt to set me free?

King of kings and Lord of lords
The best that ever there will be
The King of kings and Lord of lords
Has paid the price to set me free

Janet



Here is your king, Pilate said to the Jews.
But they shouted,Take Him away! Take Him away!
Crucify Him!
Shall I crucify your King? Pilate asked...John 19:14-15

Look at The Cross

Look, look at the cross, no, no don’t look away
See loves sacred offering on gruesome display
See the thorns, wicked thorns so humbly worn
By the One who loved all; All the sick and forlorn,
The foolish, the wealthy, all those who would scorn
His dear name; so look at the cross on public display,
Not in some dark corner tucked dimly away
But up on a hill for the whole world to see
Perfect love, awesome love for you and me

Look, look at the cross, at the dear Lord’s face
Bearing the shame of public disgrace,
A face that was spat on, yet knew only love,
The face of a King from a kingdom above,
A face which has power earth and heaven to move
In a whisper; yet on it flow crimson tears
As He weeps, not in pain but in love so sincere
He calls out to His father from upon this tree
The symbol of hope for humanity

Look, look at the cross, at the hands that are bleeding,
Pierced through with nails and yet He is pleading
That man will find mercy in this holy flood,
Forgiveness and hope in a perfect Lambs blood,
Redemption pouring from the Son of God
His hands stretch out for all to see
That this is He who sets men free
Hands that ministered to man’s most humble need
Have fulfilled their greatest work indeed

So look at the cross, behold the Lamb
The beginning, the end, the Great I AM
Look at his body, pierced and bleeding
Love flowing down for all who are needing
The hope of a Savior, as still He is pleading
Forgive them; and as darkness and thunder descend
His cry is heard through all the land
‘It is finished,” and now there is hope for the lost
If we look at the cross, if we look at the cross…….

……….and if we look at the cross, at the out-stretched limb,
Behold the blood and the suffering,
If we gaze on His love and the wonder of Him,
Will we think to be saved on that final Day
If we look, turn our backs and walk away?


Janet Martin

Shall I crucify your King? Pilate asked. John 19:15

Mary's Sorrow 

Darkness falling o’er the land,
People wailing, don’t understand,
As the gloom falls thick as night,
Fear and anger view this sight

Mary, Mary softly weeping,
Vigil at His feet is keeping,
Mary, Mary, great your loss,
Mary weeping at the cross

Teardrops flowing, her heart broken,
Jesus showing mercy spoken,
'Mary, Mary, see your Son,
John, behold this dear woman'

Mary, Mary, at the cross,
Weeping, weeping, great your loss,
Is this glory, this a throne?
Mary weeping for her Son

Mary, Mary, did you wonder
As the cold earth shook with thunder?
Is this triumph? Cruel cross,
Mary weeping for her loss

Is this the sword to pierce his soul?
Simeon’s words in days of old,
Is this victory, this great loss?
Mary weeping at the cross

Mary, Mary, ‘neath death’s tree,
Weeping there in agony,
'It is finished, it is done,'
Mary weeping for her Son

Mary, Mary, meek and mild,
Mary weeping for her child

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

When Jesus saw His mother there
And the disciple whom He loved nearby He said,
To His mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and
To the disciple, “Here is your mother’.

This verse always really touches me,
In His hour of most intense agony
He remembers His mother.

He Lives

What a cold, cold, night, what a dark, dark day,
What a lost, lost world watched His life ebb away,
What a starless night, what a flowerless field,
When Jesus His will to the Father did yield

(Cho.#1)But, what glory in Heaven, hark, hear their glad cries,
As Jesus is welcomed to sweet paradise,
How the heavens re-sound and re-echo again,
For they’ll never stop singing their triumphant refrain

(Cho.#2) He lives, He lives, our King of kings,
He has defied death’s cruelest sting,
He lives, He lives, God’s only Son
Will reign forever on Heaven’s throne

What broken hearts, what hopeless tears,
As loved ones watched His hour draw near,
What an empty world left to decay
As the Giver of life is passing away (Cho.#1)

What a holy night, what a glorious day
When our earthly toils are thrown away,
Free forever from pain and care,
We’ll rise to meet Him in the air

(Cho.#3)Then what glory in Heaven, hark, hear our glad cries,
As by Jesus we’re welcomed to sweet paradise,
How the heavens will ring and re-echo again
For we’ll never stop singing our triumphant refrain

He lives, He lives, our King of kings,
He has defied death’s cruelest sting,
He lives, He lives, God’s only Son
Will reign forever on Heaven’s throne

Janet Martin

 It Is Finished

No more need of goats and bulls,
Set the masses free,
No need for blood of animals,
There nevermore will be,
Oh, look upon that perfect Lamb,
A final sacrifice,
For all the blood of goat or ram
Could never pay sin’s price

It is finished, it is done,
His mission is complete,
Look upon God’s only Son
With bleeding hands and feet,
Break your altars, burn them down,
Your offerings you won’t need,
See the brow with thorny crown
On roughened timber bleed

Open up the pasture gates
And let the bullock roam,
The perfect Lamb in Heaven waits
To draw each sinner home,
So look upon the empty cross,
Behold the barren grave,
No more need for sacrifice
For only He can save

By Janet Martin All Rights Reserved

On Frontporchpoetry
 labelled Easter poems are more of the collection...