(NOTE: Because Easter is the most important time in the Christian calendar, I’m posting this song again now. But this time I’m enclosing a link to a recording here. Here’s a free PDF of the lead sheet.)
Come listen, friends and strangers, too;
You’ll never guess what’s happening.
That Jesus fellow’s coming into town.
You know just the one I mean;
He resurrected Lazarus.
That very man is riding up the street.
The crowds are so excited now;
They think he’s our Messiah.
Let’s go and see this new king for ourselves.
You know what the Scriptures say:
There’s nothing to be scared of.
Our king will come upon a donkey’s colt.
The cheers are getting closer now;
Let’s gather up palm branches
And praise the Lord for sending us a king.
Something tells me such a day
Will never be forgotten:
Our King Triumphant, riding into town!
About This Song:
In 1993 when I was still working at the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention, I was asked if I wanted to share an Easter song at the IMB’s pre-Easter chapel service.
Since I was eager to share my music anywhere I could, I jumped at the invitation and began working on a new song. Although I recorded an accompaniment to use with it–regrettably, it wasn’t as good as the ones I’m able to record now–the song was well received. (Here’s a fairly recent recording. The lead sheet is available here.)
The song is based on John 12: 9-15…
9 Then a large crowd of the Jews learned He was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus the one He had raised from the dead. 10 Therefore the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus also 11 because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them[a] and believing in Jesus.
12 The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: “Hosanna! He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One[b]—the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written: 15 Fear no more, Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.[c
It also makes reference to Zechariah 9: 9…
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The prophet Isaiah had said, “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!”
And Jesus Himself said, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”
Then, in raising Lazarus from the dead, He fulfilled the final sign of the long-expected Messiah.
Is it any wonder that His riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey inspired the crowds to believe He was their long-expected Messiah? Surely He would deliver them from the heavy and odious hand of Roman rule.
If we had been there in the crowd, would we have thought the same thing? Or would we have realized what we know now: that Jesus was a different kind of Messiah? He was the perfect sacrificial lamb who was going to die to forgive our sins and give us eternal life.
I write Christian novels as well as songs. The two most recent ones are shown below and their pictures are links to the Amazon pages. The eighteen-book picture is a link to my Amazon Author Page.
I’ll be back again next Wednesday. Please join me then. Better still, sign up to receive these weekly posts by email.
Best regards,
Roger
Links you might be interested in:
As I Come Singing. . . 