At The Cross (Alas, and did my Savior bleed)
GodTube Staff
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
Refrain:
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
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.
Words: Isaac Watts (1707)
The Story Behind At The Cross (Alas, and did my Savior bleed)
Isaac Watts, born July 17, 1674, and died November 25, 1748, was an English Christian minister of the Congregational church, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a productive and popular hymn writer and is credited with roughly 750 hymns. He is recognized as the "Godfather of English Hymnody"; many of his hymns remain in use today and have been translated into numerous languages.
Watts led a change in hymnal style by including new poetry for "original songs of Christian experience" to be used in worship. The older tradition was based on the poetry of the Bible: the Psalms.
Watts also introduced a new way of using the Psalms in verse for church services, suggesting that they be adapted for hymns with a specifically Christian perspective. As Watts put it in the title of his 1719 metrical Psalter, the Psalms should be "imitated in the language of the New Testament."
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Hope When the Holidays Trigger Painful Memories - Your Daily Prayer - November 19
The holidays can remind us not only of who or what we've lost but of moments that still sting with disappointment, regret, or sadness.
Top Music Videos
Anne Wilson The Manger’ Anne Wilson And Josh Turner Christmas Hymn
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
CCM Magazine Oak Ridge Boys Singer William Lee Golden Shares How Group Has Navigated Recent Loss and Grief
CCM Magazine Josh Baldwin | 'Thank You Jesus' (acoustic)
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson’s Stunning ‘Rain in the Rearview’ Live Performance Captivates
