African-American spiritual. I have never heard this sung, but whenever I read the words I see
Golgotha on the day of the crucifixion, the followers of
Jesus standing in the jeering crowd as
mute and
terrified witnesses to his
torture and
execution. There's a charge in the air like before a
thunderstorm; the unthinkable is happening, but there's a sense that something no one could have expected is coming, something
awesome and a little
frightening.
So I guess the answer is "yes".
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?
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?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
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?