The Lord Ascendeth Up on High

The Lord ascendeth up on high,
The Lord hath triumphed gloriously,
In power and might excelling;
The grave and hell are captive led,
Lo! He returns, our glorious Head,
To His eternal dwelling.

The heavens with joy receive their Lord,
By saints, by angel hosts adored,
O day of exultation!
O earth, adore thy glorious King!
His rising, His ascension sing
With grateful adoration!

Our great High Priest hath gone before,
Now on His Church His grace to pour,
And still His love He giveth;
O may our hearts to Him ascend;
May all within us upward tend
To Him Who ever liveth!

Author: Arthur T. Russell

Year: 1851

This hymn is a translation/adaptation of the older German hymn "Der Herr ist aufgenfahren" by Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer (or similar 17th-century sources). Arthur T. Russell produced the English version that matches these lyrics exactly; it first appeared in his 1851 collection. Some hymnals attribute the English text to Russell while noting the German original.