A Hymn for Good Friday

There is a rich legacy of hymnody from the past regarding our Savior's sacrificial death on the cross. Here is one I read this evening, written by Thomas Kelly (1769-1854), found in Hymns of Grace and Glory, entitled "We Sing the Praise."

We sing the praise of Him who died,

Of Him who bled upon the cross;

The sinner's hope let men deride,

For this, we count the world but loss.

Inscribed upon the cross we see

In shining letters, "God is love,"

He bore our sins upon the tree;

And brought us mercy from above.

The cross! It takes our guilt away;

It holds the fainting spirit up;

It cheers with hope the gloomy day,

And sweetens ev'ry bitter cup.

It makes the coward spirit brave,

And nerves the feeble arm for fight;

It takes the terror from the grave,

And gilds the bed of death with light.

The balm of life, the cure of woe,

The measure and the pledge of love,

The sinner's refuge here below,

The angel's theme in heav'n above.

May we sing the praise of Jesus Christ, our substitutionary sacrifice for sin. And may we prepare ourselves to worship this Christ who rose victoriously from the dead the third day.

Come one, come all in one accord

To praise our Christ, our risen Lord!