In this holiest of weeks, we “survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died.” I don’t cry often, but in my physical pain a few days ago, I wept when I re-realized how willingly Jesus submitted Himself to immense pain, torturous suffering, and surpassing agonies of complete loneliness, enduring separation from our Father. For you and for me.
Hallelujah, what a Savior.
My little blip of earthly pain pales in comparison and yet, there is a special connection and union with Jesus when we experience a tiny molecule of what He went through.
Lord, in this holy week, help us all see and praise You with fresh ears as we hear the last words of Jesus Christ, our Savior…
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:10-11 ESV).
Knowing Your forgiveness and love, Lord, as I suffer
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do (Lk. 23:34 ESV).
Man of sorrows! What a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8 ESV).
Thirsting for You, Jesus, as I suffer
After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst” (Jn. 19:28 ESV).
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied (Mt. 5:6 ESV).
Loving You and loving others, by Your Spirit’s work, as I suffer
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home (Jn. 19:26-27 ESV).
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength…
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mk. 12:30-31 ESV).
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1 ESV).
Hoping in Your saving work, until the last day, as I suffer
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Lk. 23:39-42 ESV).
Guilty, vile, and helpless, we;
spotless Lamb of God was he;
full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Just as it is appointed for men to die once,
and after that comes judgment,
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,
will appear a second time,
not to deal with sin
but to save those who are
eagerly waiting for him (Heb. 9:27-28 ESV).
Praising You for Your finished work in my life, my Savior Jesus, as I suffer
Lifted up was he to die.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1; Mt. 27:46 KJV).
It was to show his righteousness at the present time,
so that he might be just and the justifier of the one
who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26 ESV).
It is finished (Jn. 19:30 ESV).
“It is finished!” was his cry.
He entered once for all into the holy places,
not by means of the blood of goats and calves
but by means of his own blood,
thus securing an eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12 ESV).
Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Lk. 23:46 ESV).
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21 ESV).
But now he has reconciled you
by Christ’s physical body
through death
to present you holy in his sight,
without blemish and free from accusation (Col. 1:22 ESV)
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.
This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Col. 2:14 ESV).
Now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him (Col. 2:6 ESV), waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:13-14 ESV).
When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
(“Man of Sorrows! What a Name,” Bliss, P. P., 1875)
In the holy and redeeming name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
A Holy Week playlist to sing to our Savior
Despite any temptation to stop it all, our blessed Jesus fully obeyed our Father’s will and perfect plan to suffer and die. He brought glory to our Father by paying the full penalty required for our inborn sin. Out of God’s deep love for us, Jesus endured the worst of suffering for us, so we may never bear it.
Even as we suffer earthly trials this week, let’s remember what He has done for us, with glorious hope for our resurrection and His coming restoration of all things. He’s alive! We will see Him one day and we will sing, “Hallelujah, what a Savior” as our Man of Sorrows wipes our tears and makes all things new.
Sister in Christ, this week’s playlist gift sings the gospel back to our Savior and to our suffering hearts. We respond in song to Him in personal worship moments as we meditate on His death and resurrection, all week.
If it would bless you to sing glorious gospel truths back to Him, singing of our hope in Christ into your suffering, sign up here and I’ll send my playlist gift to your email. May He bring great glory to Himself as we sing!
