The line "Jesus lives! thy terrors now can hymn" is a slightly misquoted or variant fragment from the well-known Christian hymn, **"Jesus Lives! Thy Terrors Now."** The most common phrasing for the relevant verse where your fragment appears is: **"Jesus lives! thy terrors now** **Can, O Death, no longer fright us;** **Jesus lives! by this we know** **Thou, O grave, canst not affright us."** Let's delve into its history: 1. **Original German Author and Context:** * The hymn was originally written in German by **Christian Fürchtegott Gellert** (1715-1769), a prominent German Enlightenment poet and moral philosopher. * His original hymn, titled **"Jesus lebt, mit ihm auch ich"** (Jesus lives, with him also I), was published in **1757** in his collection "Geistliche Oden und Lieder" (Spiritual Odes and Songs). * Gellert's hymns and poems were highly influential in Germany, often combining deep piety with accessible language. 2. **English Translation:** * The widely used English translation, which includes the lines you quoted, was made by **Frances Elizabeth Cox** (1812-1897). * Cox was an English hymn translator who rendered many German hymns into English. Her translation of Gellert's hymn was published in **1841** in her collection "Sacred Hymns from the German." 3. **Meaning and Theme:** * This hymn is a powerful and triumphant affirmation of the **resurrection of Jesus Christ**. * It celebrates Christ's victory over death and the grave, and how that victory assures believers of their own eternal life and freedom from the fear of death. * The phrase "Jesus lives! thy terrors now / Can, O Death, no longer fright us" directly addresses Death (personified) and declares that because Jesus is alive, Death has lost its power to instill fear in those who believe. 4. **The phrase "can hymn":** * While the standard English translation uses "Can, O Death, no longer fright us" or similar phrasing like "Can no longer make us fear," your "can hymn" might be a slight misremembering or a very rare variant. * However, the *spirit* of "can hymn" (as in, now we can sing praises and hymns instead of being terrified) still aligns with the overall message of the hymn: that Christ's resurrection transforms fear into joy and praise. 5. **Legacy:** * "Jesus Lives! Thy Terrors Now" has become one of the most beloved and enduring hymns, especially associated with the **Easter season** due to its central theme of resurrection. * It is often sung to various tunes, with **ST. ALBINUS** (by Henry J. Gauntlett) and **AUF DEN ERSTEN BLICK** (a traditional German tune) being among the most common. In summary, your line comes from a hymn originally penned by a German Enlightenment poet in the 18th century, translated by an English hymnographer in the 19th century, and has since become a cherished expression of faith in the triumph of Christ over death.