“Were You There”

April 07, 2023

This hymn comes to us from the heritage of the African American spiritual heritage.  The spiritual symbolized black cultural identity and black expression as it evolved on the North American continent.  The origin of this hymn is unknown.  Most authorities credit it to slaves, passed on from generation to generation by oral tradition.  It was first introduced publicly in the early 1870's.  
The verses of this spiritual each contain a response to the question “Were You There when ...”   In the earliest known, written source, from 1892, the question ends in four ways: “when they crucified my Lord; when they crowned Him with thorns; when they pierced His side; when they laid Him in the tomb.?”  
Over time, the idea of “nailing Him to the cross” was added, having a special meaning to Christians of all time. [many attempt to piece it together with the lynchings that were taking place in society at the time, although comparing the two always seemed a bit of a stretch].
Closing each verse with “O, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.”  This trembling was not in fear, but rather the emotional impact of seeing our Lord sacrifice Himself for mankind.  

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?

LSB 456