At Calvary
Backgrounder: William Newell
(1868-1956) was best known
as a Bible teacher, pastor and
professor. While on his way to
teach a class at Moody Bible
Institute, the words of this hymn
began to form in his mind.
So he went into an unoccupied
classroom and there scribbled
the words on the back of an
envelope. A few minutes later
he gave the words to Daniel
Towner, the director of music
at the school. Within an hour
Towner had composed music
for them. The first three stanzas
tell the testimony of the Christian
and the final stanza praises God
for the greatness of divine love,
the depth of grace and
the breadth of mercy.
Lord, thank you for your grace:
Now it was the Preparation Day
of the Passover and about the 6th
hour. And Pilate said to the Jews:
Behold your King! But they cried
out: Crucify Him! Pilate said to
them: Shall I crucify your King?
The chief priests answered:
We have no king but Caesar!
Then he delivered Him to them
to be crucified… And He bearing
His cross, went to a place of a
Skull, which is called in Hebrew
Golgotha or in Latin Calvary; where
they crucified Him & two others…
Now Pilate wrote a title and put it
on the cross. And the writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH,
THE KING OF THE JEWS…
and it was written in Hebrew,
Greek and Latin (John 19:14-20).
Father God, in your mercy, you
sent Jesus to die for our sins on Calvary’s tree and that He rose again on the third day so that
our sins are completely forgiven, and we have been set free.
Lord Jesus, we praise & thank U
for Your sacrifice for our sins.
You paid our debt at Calvary to give
us eternal life with U my Saviour!
Lord, this hymn also encourages
us to hold on to faith regardless of
the struggles we may face in life.
The chorus of this hymn reminds
us that God’s grace and mercy
will see His children through
and His mercy is new everyday.
So, let’s stop trying to carry these
burdens and Give them to Jesus.
And we’ll not let our heart grow cold with doubt for Jesus is
all we need. For “Mercy there
was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me
And There my burdened soul
found liberty at Calvary! Amen.
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.
Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace
was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found
liberty
At Calvary.
By God’s Word at last my sin
I learned;
Then I trembled at the law
I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.
Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!
Oh, the love that drew salvation’s
plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it
down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God
did span
At Calvary!