As we move toward Easter, the Sunday’s hymns will teach us something about the work of Christ on the cross. This week the hymn is one from Isaac Watts. Among other things, this hymn teaches me something about my own naturally wormish condition, which ought to make me all the more grateful for God’s intervention on my behalf, sending his Son to stand in my place bearing “wrath divine” for “crimes that I had done”.
Alas! And Did My Saviour Bleed?
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His Soul in anguish stood.Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do. (Listen.)
More on the natural human condition: