Were You There

When They Crucified My Lord

Were You There is an African-American Spiritual that likely predates the Civil War. It was first published in 1899 as part of the collection: Old Plantation Hymns (p. 40) by Congregational minister, William E. Barton (1861-1930). It is of anonymous authorship, but may have been influenced by or adapted from an earlier white spiritual known to have been sung in Tennessee. Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? is sung to the folk tune traditionally associated with it.  In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used during Holy Week.



WERE YOU THERE?

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 the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

3. Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?