Hymns: Led Like a Lamb

I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the in-between hymns.

Today’s song is Led Like a Lamb from 1983.

Much of the fun of having a daily hymn is finding various versions on YouTube, but I don’t see many performances of this one. Yet, it loomed very large in church circles in the 1980s. I’d hate to see it being forgotten. It’s a wonderful resurrection-focused him.

Interestingly, the term “led like a lamb” comes from the Old Testament. Few expected the Messiah to suffer and die. Many hoped that He would simply free them from the Romans and make Israel great again. After the resurrection, Jesus brought his disciples through the Old Testament to explore what it actually said about Him.

Luke 24:26-27 and 44-47

²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

Undoubtedly, Isaiah 53 was included in the post-resurrection Bible studies that Jesus had with His disciples:

Isaiah 53:3-7
³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Of course, despite the first line, Led Like a Lamb is about the resurrection. In fact the full title is Led Like a Lamb (You’re Alive). And the chorus emphasizes the resurrection:

  You’re alive, You’re alive, You have risen!
  Alleluia! (alleluia! alleluia!)
  And the power and the glory is given,
  Alleluia! (alleluia! alleluia!)
  Jesus to You.

And here are some other hymns that touch on that passage from Isaiah: