Lyrics
Alas, and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred Head
For such a worm as I?
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 myself away,
‘Tis all that I can do.
Song History & Meaning
Composer / Hymnodist: Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts’ classic hymn gently stops us in our tracks, asking us to ponder the sheer weight and wonder of the cross. It is astonishing to realize that the King of Glory chose to lay down His life for our sins, pouring out an unimaginable love that we could never earn. When we look at His sacrifice, our hearts are moved from quiet grief to profound gratitude. As you sing today, let His endless grace wash over you and invite your heart into deeper surrender.
📖 Related Scripture Passages:
- Romans 5:8: “But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Isaiah 53:5: “But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was on him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
- 1 Peter 2:24: “who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.”