It Is Not Death to Die

What a title for a blog post. And what a post to have to write. About a week and a half ago, I found out that an older family friend had been beaten to death outside his home. I'm sure you can imagine the shock I felt when I heard that. Death is never an easy topic to deal with. It hits us deeply for a variety of reasons: we know that we will all die someday; we have experienced losing people we care about; we have a hard time imagining situations without someone there.

But God has given us Scripture to remind us of truth, to strengthen us for battle, to convict us of our sin, and to comfort us in our grief. The apostle Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians, reminded them:

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus . . . Therefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 18, NASB).

 Comfort one another with these words. The hymn I am writing about is meant for comfort. It is not death to die. What a radical statement! This world tells us that we are born, we die, we are buried, we turn to dust, and nothing more. But God has told us truth, and that truth sets us free. I need not fear the grave. I need not grieve without hope. I grieve for the loss of a friend temporarily. I grieve for the pain and anguish that his family is going through. But I grieve knowing that we will be reunited with him. He has fallen asleep in Jesus, and so God will bring him with Jesus when He comes. God is good!

This hymn was written in French in 1832 by Henri Abraham César Malan, and translated into English in 1847 by George Benthune, who asked that the hymn be sung at his funeral.  The traditional music for it was written by Joseph E. Sweetser in 1849. There is a beautiful modification of the lyrics and music by Bob Kauflin, which can be found here and here, and I highly encourage you to listen to it. My video below follows pretty closely the original music.

It Is Not Death to Die

It is not death to die

To leave this weary road

And midst the brotherhood on high

To be at home with God.

It is not death to close

The eye long dimmed by tears,

And wake, in glorious repose,

To spend eternal years.

It is not death to bear

The wrench that sets us free

From dungeon chain to breath the air

Of boundless liberty.

It is not death to fling

Aside this sinful dust

And rise, on strong exulting wing

To live among the just.

Jesus, Thou Prince of Life,

Thy chosen cannot die:

Like Thee, they conquer in the strife

To reign with Thee on high.

(Public Domain)