Classic Poem

From heav'n the King of Glory came,
To raise the fall'n to thrones above,
And through this ransom'd world proclaim
One law of liberty and love:
From sin, to set sin's captives free,
Captive he led captivity.

To death by awful Justice doom'd,
He found our whole apostate race;
Himself our flesh and blood assum'd,
That he might suffer in our place;
From death, to set death's pris'ners free,
Captive he led captivity.

For us the pains of hell he bore,
Wrung to the dregs the cup of wrath,
And through the grave, to fall no more,
Open'd to Paradise our path;
From hell, hell's victims to set free,
Captive he led captivity.

The gates of brass our Savior broke,
The bars of iron he o'erthrew,
To lighten ev'ry galling yoke,
And ev'ry manacle undo:
From man, man's bondmen to set free,
Captive he led captivity.

Lord! as from sin, death, hell, thy pow'r
Unchains the souls to thee that cry,
Of Slavery bid the final hour,
Of Jubilee, the first, draw nigh;
Oh! haste to set the bondmen free,
And captive lead captivity.