Friday, February 15, 2019

Hymn of the Week: On the Cross of Calvary

Instead of using an old hymn tune for my new composition this week, I went with a lovely old Irish tune, "Mo Ghile Mear." It goes back three or four hundred years and was originally written as a lament. Popular contemporary versions include those done by The Chieftains and Celtic Woman. Below you'll find the lyrics, a simple version of my hymn's sheet music, and a sound file of my own rather humble performance.

On the Cross of Calvary

     Chorus:
     On the cross of Calvary,
     In the broken tomb we see
     God's great love poured out for us
     And grace throughout eternity!

Jesus came to bring us peace--
We who lived life sinfully,
We who scorned our God's decree--
Yet he, in love, has set us free!

     Chorus

'Neath the lash and 'neath the thorns,
Christ the king was cruelly scorned;
We are saved by grace alone,
And in his death we are reborn!

     Chorus

As the lamb in Moses' day,
Jesus on the wood was laid;
He, as priest and off'ring paid
Has full atonement for us made.

     Chorus

In the silence of the tomb
Deathless God did death endure;
From the grave alive he burst:
Our Lord, through death, destroyed its curse!

     Chorus

Through his death, through shattered grave,
Our Lord, by his endless grace,
Ransomed us, forgiveness gave,
And we, through Jesus' love, are saved!

     Chorus