This hymn has a fascinating, piecemeal history. It first appeared anonymously in 1757 in a tract entitled A Collection of Hymns Addressed to the Holy, Holy, Holy, Triune God and is widely attributed to the Wesleyan evangelist John Bakewell. It originally consisted of only two stanzas. Martin Madan expanded it to four stanzas in his 1760 collection, likely authoring the current second stanza himself. Augustus Toplady (the famous author of “Rock of Ages”) revised it again in 1776, providing the final form of the third stanza we sing today. The hymn traces Christ’s work from His humiliation to His exaltation: stanza 1 is packed with juxtapositions (once despised, now hailed; humble Galilean, yet reigning King); stanza 2 identifies Jesus as the Passover Lamb whose full atonement opens heaven; stanza 3 reminds us that the ascended Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand, actively pleading and interceding for His people.
Sung at Our Saviour
2026