Great Apollyon, grim and awful
Steeped in gore and stained in blood
Death, with all his fearsome forces
Has besieged the Son of God
Satan, clothed with evil armor
Darkly gleaming, proud and cold
Merciless, he joins the battle
Armed and clad with pow'r untold
Bowed beneath demonic onslaughts
Jesus fights His awesome duel
Pain devours its Holy Victim
Searing, savage, raging, cruel
Eager waits the Mouth of Sheol
Huge, insatiable, and strong
Maw agape, the Grave yearns after
Holy Flesh-but not for long
Writhing under Law's most fearsome
Curse, ruined, lost, polluted, wrecked
Languishing in Satan's prison
Lie the souls of God's elect
At the Cross-desire of Hell!
Christ gives up that final Breath
Now, at last, the choicest Captive
Tastes the mortal sting of Death
Darkness falls; the seething smoke of Hell
Cloaks the battlefield from view
Down the head of God has fallen
Law and Wrath receive their due
Satan smiles in seeming triumph
Reaching out, his Prize to take
Three brief days all Hell rejoices
Then the stone begins to shake