Category Archives: Hymns

O Christ, What Burdens Bow’d Thy Head!

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The words of this 19th century hymn, written by Anne R. Cousin capture the essence of what we call “penal substitution.” This is the biblical doctrine of Christ dying in the place of sinners as a substitute, bearing in full, the penalty we deserved.

There is a story associated with it too:

“A young of­fi­cer in the Brit­ish ar­my turned away in hor­ror from the doc­trine of this hymn. His pride re­volt­ed, his self-right­eous­ness rose in re­bel­lion, and he said: ‘He would be a cow­ard in­deed who would go to hea­ven at the cost of ano­ther!’

As the years rolled away this man rose to dis­tinct­ion and high rank in the ar­my, and he al­so learned wis­dom.

In his last hours, as he lay on his death­bed, he re­peat­edl­y begged those near him to sing ‘Christ, what bur­dens bowed Thy head,’ call­ing it, ‘My hymn, my hymn!’”

O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Didst bear all ill for me.
A Victim led,
Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.

Death and the curse were in our cup:
O Christ, ’twas full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
‘Tis empty now for me.
That bitter cup,
love drank it up;
Now blessing’s draught for me.

Jehovah lifted up His rod;
O Christ, it fell on Thee!
Thou wast sore stricken of Thy God;
There’s not one stroke for me.
Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed;
Thy bruising healeth me.

The tempest’s awful voice was heard,
O Christ, it broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
It braved the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;
Now cloudless peace for me.

Jehovah bade His sword awake;
O Christ, it woke against Thee!
Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;
Thine heart its sheath must be;
All for my sake, my peace to make;
Now sleeps that sword for me.

For me, Lord Jesus, Thou hast died,
And I have died in Thee!
Thou art ris’n, my hands are all untied,
And now Thou livest in me.
When purified, made white and tried,
Thy glory then for me!

The Gift of Congregational Singing

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Article: The Encouragement of Congregational Singing by Dustin J Coleman (original source here)

One of the great gifts that God has given His church is the gift of congregational singing. I often come to our worship gathering discouraged – discouraged with my failures, my anxieties, and my weakness. What a gift the gathered church is to a discouraged soul! Every week we come in from our different lives and gather to, among other things, sing the glory and power of the gospel.

This hit home for me at a recent worship gathering of our church. As I sang the songs and thought about the people who were singing around me, my heart was invigorated with the joy of the victory of the gospel.

I saw a woman many of us affectionately call “Grandma Kay.” Kay is in her 90s and suffers from several debilitating weaknesses that come along with being of advanced age. She seems weaker with each passing week and I know the day of her passing is not far away. And yet here she is, sitting (because she can’t stand) and singing with us:

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore!

This is a victory cry! Throughout the winding years of decades, neither old age nor the pains of impending death have been able to rob Grandma Kay of her joy. Neither life nor death has been able to separate her from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And then I see Mary, a single, divorced woman in her mid-50s. She often jokes that Christ had to wear gloves when He reached out to save her, so deep was the filth of her debauchery. Her voice joins all of ours as we sing:

O perfect redemption! The purchase of blood

To every believer the promise of God

The vilest offender who truly believes

That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

This is a victory cry! Her voice joins the chorus that proclaims that there is no depth of muck and sin that the depth of Christ’s grace and mercy is not deeper still. Sin’s grip is no match when God decides to wrest His children free.

And then I see Ryan, a young single man in our congregation. Ryan is coming out of a very difficult past, a past of drug addiction, alcohol, and sexual sin. But, praise God, he is fighting! He is fighting but there are days of failure. But here he is, standing in the row behind me, as we sing these words:

Christ the sure and steady anchor

While the tempest rages on

When temptation claims the battle

And it seems the night has won

Deeper still then goes the anchor

Though I justly stand accused

I will hold fast to the anchor

It shall never be removed.

This is a victory cry! Sin has won so long in his life and it drove him deeper and deeper into despair. But now he meets those failures with faith, clinging to Christ, trusting in His justifying death, and longing for the light of day to conquer the night.

And I see Eva. Eva immigrated to the United States from India, where her daughters still live. She works the third shift at 7 Eleven so that she can send money back home. Even amidst the spiritual darkness of India, gospel light found her. I see her standing, with eyes closed and hands open toward the sky singing:

Let every kindred, every tribe

On this terrestrial ball

To Him all majesty ascribe

And crown Him Lord of all!

This is a victory cry! Satan is bound and he no longer holds the nations captive in ignorance and sin. The gospel is going forward and Christ is ransoming people for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Eva is a ringing cry that Satan is beaten and Christ’s great kingdom shall reign on earth.

I hear these people singing and I am reminded of the victory and power of the gospel. There is no weakness, no stain of sin, no power of temptation, no spiritual darkness that can ever conquer the power of God working in the lives of His people. Their voices remind me of the freedom and victory and joy of God’s people. The melody of their hearts tunes my troubled soul to the song of God’s triumph.

And in their singing, I am helped and my soul is lifted to God. May we remember the treasured gift of singing that God has given His people!

A Mighty Fortress: The German Edition

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Article by David Mathis (at this link)

The Reformers didn’t just protest; they sang. The Protestant Reformation, which began in earnest 500 years ago this week, didn’t just give birth to preaching and writing, but it inspired music and unleashed song.

That God declares us rebels fully righteous on the sole basis of his Son, through faith alone — such news is too good not to sing. And that our Creator and Redeemer himself has spoken into our world, and preserved his speech for us in a Book, to be illumined by his own Spirit — such news is too good not to craft into verse. Perhaps the greatest evidence that the Reformation released real joy in freeing captives from the bondage of man-made religion is that its theology made for such a good marriage with music. The Reformation sang.

Battle Hymn of the Reformation

Leading the way not just in word, but in song, was Martin Luther. He wrote nearly forty hymns, many of which he composed not only the words but even the music. His most famous, of course, “A Mighty Fortress,” often is called “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation.” The song embodies with strength and gusto the very spirit of the Reformation, breaking free from the flaccidity and poverty of medieval theology with rich God-confidence. Continue reading →