Today’s song is a somber one. Like yesterday’s song, it is rooted in a verse from Isaiah 53:
“Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.”—Isaiah 53:4 (NKJV)
There are, again, such direct connections to the events of Calvary that we can’t help but be astonished. Those gathered around the cross mocked Jesus, and in their eyes he was receiving the just punishment for blasphemy. As they understood it, the cross was just punishment for his sins, and he was “stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted” because of what he had done.
Yet Isaiah’s words echo the truth that the crowd’s understanding of justice is completely wrong. Yes, Christ is being crucified for sin, but not his own. What sent Jesus to the cross is not what he had done, but what we had done. It is our griefs, our sorrows, and our sin that he bears to Calvary. Christ is stricken, smitten, and afflicted not because God’s anger at him is unleashed, but because God’s love for us is unstoppable.
To meditate on the wounds of Christ is not only to meditate on his brokenness, but our own. In the words of a popular modern hymn, “it was my sin that held him there.” As we gaze upon the wounded one, we are humbled and brought to repentance. But as we considered back at the beginning of our Lenten journey, this is not a place of shame. It is a place of love. It is God’s desire for our wholeness and healing that calls us to the cross, that turns our eyes to the wounded One, and that brings us to our knees to receive the healing those wounds have procured.
None shall ever be confounded
Who on him their hope have built.
Read the rest of the lyrics here.
Questions for Reflection
1) sit with these images of Jesus that come to us from today’s hymn. Pray through these and consider what each means to you. Which ones speak most powerfully to your heart and soul today?
Prophet
David’s Son
David’s Lord
True and Faithful Word
The Lord’s Anointed
Son of Man
Son of God
Firm Foundation
Refuge of the Lost
The Rock of Our Salvation
Lamb of God
Wounded Sacrifice2) Read and reflect on these verses. Let them lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
—Galatians 2:19b-21 (NRSV)”