HYMN STORIES: The Songs We Sing

“When I Survey the Wonderous Cross”

We will be singing When I Survey the Wonderous Cross during the Lenten season. The text was written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748) who has been called the "father of English hymnody." He wrote more than 700 hymns and popularized congregational hymn-singing throughout the world.

Watts got started in hymn writing after a sarcastic comment from his father who was a pastor. Young Issac was burdened as a young boy that the church only sang psalms during their worship times. At the age of eighteen Watts was one day ridiculing some of the poor hymns then sung in the churches, when his father said to him, sarcastically, “Make some yourself, then.

As wonderful as they were, the psalms did not tell the story of God’s salvation through Christ’s life, the cross, His death and resurrection. They did not celebrate the grace, the mercy, the atonement, or the second coming of Christ, so Watts started writing hymns for their church’s worship services. This stirred up great controversy, in his day. The use of “I” in the title and throughout the text was revolutionary. This hymn, and others he wrote, gave Christians of Watt’s Day (and ours) a way to express a deeply personal gratitude to their Savior. It is considered one of he finest hymns ever written.

He became a clergyman, but illness compelled him to give up the pastorate, and for thirty-six years he remained at the home of Sir Thomas Abbey at Theobaldo [in England], continuing his hymn-writing, which had reached its highest expression in this hymn, based on Paul’s words, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This hymn is based on Galatians 6:14 – "But God forbid that I should boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." The prolific Charles Wesley, who wrote many hymns, reportedly said he would give up all his hymns to have written this one.

Shared by Lindrew Johnson, Director of Worship