I’ve known this song a long time, but not as a song I would especially care to sing solo. That’s because I’ve experienced “Were You There” mostly by hearing recordings of awesome singers like Tennessee Ernie Ford and Mahalia Jackson, whose performances place this song — by my way of thinking — out of reach of someone like me who cannot dream of singing like them. One obvious upside of great singers is the remarkable inspiration they provide. One downside is that their remarkable singing might discourage some of the rest of us from singing ourselves. But, to the rescue, thank God we have congregational singing — and singing in the shower — both which let us make a joyful noise that sounds good to our own ears. With all due respect to all the great singers around us, I offer to the rest of us fair-to-middling singers my rendition of a song that was special to me as a child and remains wonderfully etched in my heart to this day. Please help me out by singing along, then come back and let’s talk.
The good dishes
My wife and I have continued a practice both our mom’s did. We have a “pretties” cabinet to store and display lovely dishes we use for special occasions. If there were such a cabinet for songs, “Were You There” might be one to put in it.
In 2004 Mel Gibson released a movie called “The Passion of the Christ”. It, too, might make it into a cabinet of things reserved for special occasions. I’ve heard people say it is a movie that should be seen, but that they were not eager to see it a second time. It is a difficult movie to take in because the events depicted are painful to view, especially for those who love Jesus.
This song and that movie might not be ones we would hum or quote all the time, but at some point, at certain times, we want to pull them out of the “special” cabinet and consider them, because the somberness they convey has a proper place in the landscape of our minds as complete humans and as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at these verses with the “passion of the Christ” in mind, and see if they don’t light up brighter:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [John 13:34]
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. [Ephesians 4:32]
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. [Hebrews 12:3 BSB]
Bulletin blurb
Something I love about the old hymns is the beautiful way they bring people together, even those who might only have known each other for a few moments, but who have known the songs for years and years, and immediately feel right at home singing them with new friends. Look at this “blurb” Hymnary.org offered to accompany our song:
“In a culture that tells us that we should get what we want and what we’re entitled to, and that we ought to live our happiest, best life, it definitely goes against the grain to dwell on something sorrowful. And yet, the words of this hymn invite us to take a journey through the last days and hours of Christ’s life. We join the crowd huddled on the sides of the streets, or at the foot of the cross, or in front of a sealed grave. We are brought together because of our trembling and our tears, but also because of our knowledge of why our beloved Savior had to die. Geography, time, culture – none of these hinder our togetherness in the body and blood of Christ. And so as we sing this hymn, we gather with Christians around the world, remembering. We lift our voices with our brothers and sisters, our voices filled with mourning, but also with hope. For we know that the journey of Calvary ultimately ends with an open and empty tomb … [a journey which] causes us to tremble in awe and praise.”
♫♪ Were You There ♫♪
We can find many different versions of the song – versions with only the first verse, others with five or more verses. Lyrics vary. For instance, in the 4th verse I chose a version that changes “tremble” to “I feel like shouting glory”. I’m with all of you who love how this story ends, and so — even at the risk of lightening the somber tone a bit — I can’t help smiling when we get to that part.
This song moves slowly out of respect for the subject. For all who have heard the Gospel story of Jesus, the parts about the crown of thorns, the wooden cross, the borrowed tomb, the glorious discovery of the stone rolled away and the shout “He’s alive!” — this song helps make it all living and real, filling yet again each heart with awe and thanksgiving. The song has helped countless millions over more than a century to quietly, pensively wipe away a tear and thoughtfully nod their heads “yes” when asked, “were you there?”
God bless you lots
-Dale R.
LYRICS – Were You There
African-American spiritual
1. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
2. Were you there when they nailed him to a tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to a tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to a tree?
3. Were you there when they laid him in a tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb?
4. Were you there when he rose up from the dead?
Were you there when he rose up from the dead?
Oh, sometimes I feel like shouting glory, glory, glory.
Were you there when he rose up from the dead?
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Share your wisdom with other readers ...
Please feel free to add your thoughts to this conversation in the “Leave a reply” spot below.
Good evening Mr Dale; First of all, I want to start with that amazing song, u sang it quite well, it was a deep to the gut song, it had a lot of. “CHARITY”, it was as if u were there when they nailed him to the “CROSS”, that song was sang “PERFECTLY “, by u, no doubt as if u took that song and nailed it to “THE CROSS , After they laid OUR FATHER JESUS IN THE TOMB” , Out of all the songs that u have written or rewritten, this “ONE “. IS THE CUT ABOVE ALL…, “THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST”, THAT WHAT THAT SONG SOUNDED LIKE. …….. u stated Mr dale that u and Cathy, has memories of both of your parents….. and to put that song together with both of your memories, that would be and awesome “KEEPSAKE”… but it has to be the one u sang…. just imagine Mr Dale being there when. “OUR FATHER JESUS WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS”, and just think “HE DID IT ALL FOR US””. THAT’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, A LOVE THAT WILL LAST A LIFE TIME, and just think Mr Dale, we don’t have to do anything but “ACCEPT HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR “… and live forever with”HIM”… …… Thanks again Mr Dale for that amazing song and sermon, which goes beyond imagination… much 💕 and blessings to u and Cathy….. always….
Hi Julia. Thanks for your comments and blessings! I love that you saw “charity” in the song. I don’t know who wrote the song, but I’m with you — it was someone with “charity”, with God’s love in them and coming out of them and pouring into this musical expression of the impact the story made. And, like all who have “confessed Jesus as Lord and believe God raised him from the dead”, our minds go to what you said — “THAT’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, A LOVE THAT WILL LAST A LIFE TIME, and … we don’t have to do anything but ‘ACCEPT HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR’ … and live forever with ‘HIM'”. We can refine doctrine all day long, but it won’t change that we have gone from death unto life because of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! May we never forget to be thankful. And how thankful we are that — because of the Lord — we’ll be around a long, long, long long time to BE thankful. Wishing you all God’s best — Dale R.
Your notes about somber times are appreciated, however, I do my best to not focus on it. We are obliged to reconsider it whenever we get to this time of year. I have to say I am SO thankful it is two thousand years in the past. Paul Norcross said he asked the Lord if he still remembers those days. The answer was “yes.” I don’t know what to do with that. I find it odd. Odd that Paul asked, and odd that the answer was “yes.” If I don’t like to think about it, why would he, after two thousand years? Hebrews says he is a faithful high priest in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, and therefore he is able to succour them that are tempted. It would be safe to say that after the close of the events of the Book of Revelation, we can ALL, including the Lord, put it ALL behind us.
Clarissa, good thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I agree decent humans would not want to dwell on the harsh reality of the sufferings of Jesus. Even less would those who love him. When I try to understand why Scripture includes what it does on this, it helps me to remember people are different. Through all time since the garden, there have been many who have needed some powerful information to get their attention. I have to believe the Lord knew it was loving and helpful to include enough in the Bible — in OT prophecies, four Gospels and elsewhere — to make sure people got the picture of what the forces of evil did to try to stop God’s plan of redemption. AND what Jesus personally endured to win redemption for all who were willing to receive it. Church history leads us to recognize what some religious actors have done through the years to beat people over the head with this knowledge and drive them fear and terror, never bringing them to “the rest of the story”. Easy to think these religious “leaders” were probably driven by the same forces that motivated what happened at Calvary. Such use of this story is abuse, and we do well to call it out. But, certainly it is not our place to take this story’s record out of the pages of the Bible, so I remain onboard with bringing it before anyone’s mind who will listen, as part of the service we do for Him. Still, I don’t think I’m able to talk about what they did to Jesus without, in the same breath, talking about what Jesus did for us when he rose from the dead. I think you and I are on the same page — that we want to declare at the top of our voices “HE’S ALIVE!!!” Thank you so much for participating with me on this song exploration adventure and adding to the conversation. Very much appreciated!!! God bless you lots — Dale R.
One of your best informative uplifting hymn, performances. Bravo job I got blessed everytime.🍇🍇🍇🍇🍇
Paul, Thanks much for your kind words. For a long time I hesitated to try this song. So happy to hear it sounds good at your end. It sure is a powerful song! Thank you for taking the time to share. Wishing you all God’s best… Dale R.
Always enjoy reading Dr. Wierwille’s eighth chapter – the Fourteenth of Nisan in Jesus Christ Our Passover this time of year. Very sobering but so thankful he endured.♥
Carol, thanks for your note. I suppose it is possible to go overboard looking at the harsh details of what Jesus endured. But we cannot ignore the Bible’s many accounts of the events of those days which would seem to encourage us to look, and to not to go “underboard” on considering what our Savior willingly endured. It is part of the story the Author of the Book wants us to know. Hebrews 12 gives us these words: “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Seems the right amount of considering this is reached when we find it causing us to “not grow weary and lose heart.” I re-read chapters 7 & 8 and agree with your suggestion. Good to read again. Thanks much for sharing. God bless you lots — Dale R.