Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?

Today in church we sang a song that clearly (sadly) few knew well.  This hymn was written by the great hymn writer Issac Watts.  It was this very hymn that led fellow hymn writer Fanny Crosby to fully live her life for Christ. Crosby writes about that November day in 1850 -

"And when they reached the third line of the fourth stan­za,

"Here Lord, I give myself away,"

my ve­ry soul was flood­ed with a ce­les­tial light. I sprang to my feet, shout­ing "hal­le­lu­jah," and then for the first time I real­ized that I had been try­ing to hold the world in one hand and the Lord in the other.

 Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?

Crucifixion, by Simon Vouet

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
[originally, 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 my self away
’Tis all that I can do.


There is  an additional verse and refrain to this song that we don't normally sing in my church - you can find those here.

I'm certain we'll sing this song again.  It is so appropriate at a time of communion.