William J. Gaither (born March 28, 1936) is an American singer and songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴William J. Gaither (born March 28, 1936) is an American singer and songwriter of southern gospel and Contemporary Christian music. He has written numerous popular Christian songs with his wife, Gloria. Besides performing solo and with his wife, Gaither has appeared as part of the Bill Gaither Trio, the Gaither Vocal Band, and as a part of his "Homecoming" groups.

Gloria Gaither (b. March 4, 1942) is a songwriter for gospel music, along with her husband, Bill Gaither. She also sang in the Bill Gaither Trio, one of the most influential groups in recent Christian music.

By the Mark
Bill & Gloria Gaither Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I cross over
I will shout and sing
I will know my savior
By the mark where the
Nails have been

[Chorus]
By the mark where the

Nails have been
By the sign upon his precious skin
I will know my savior
When I come to him
By the mark where the
Nails have been

A man of riches
May claim a crown of jewels
But the king of heaven
Can be told from the
Prince of fools

[Chorus]

On Calvary's Mountain
Where they made him suffer so
All my sin was paid for
A long, long time ago

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bill & Gloria Gaither's song "By the Mark" are a powerful testimony of faith, expressing the singer's certainty that upon crossing over into the afterlife, they will recognize their savior by the marks left by the nails that held Jesus Christ to the cross. This recognition is described as being more certain than any other form of identification, even of a man of great wealth who may claim a crown of jewels. The song emphasizes that this knowledge is not based on earthly material possessions or superficial appearances, but rather on the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. The chorus of the song repeats the image of recognizing the savior "by the mark where the nails have been," reinforced by the "sign upon his precious skin."

The second verse of the song reaffirms the importance of recognizing the true king of heaven rather than being led astray by earthly power or wealth. The ultimate sacrifice of Jesus is once again emphasized, with the image of the crucifixion on Calvary's Mountain and the recognition that this sacrifice paid for all of humanity's sins. The chorus repeats itself, driving home the central message of the song in a powerful and resonant way.

Line by Line Meaning

When I cross over
When I pass from this life to the next

I will shout and sing
I will express my joy with exuberance

I will know my savior
I will recognize my Lord

By the mark where the Nails have been
By the wounds on His hands and feet

[Chorus] By the mark where the Nails have been By the sign upon his precious skin I will know my savior When I come to him By the mark where the Nails have been
The repeated chorus emphasizes that the artist will recognize Jesus by his wounds

A man of riches May claim a crown of jewels
Wealthy individuals may claim impressive status symbols

But the king of heaven Can be told from the Prince of fools
However, the difference between the ruler of heaven and ignorant individuals is greater

[Chorus]
The chorus is repeated to reiterate that the artist's recognition of Jesus will be based on His wounds

On Calvary's Mountain Where they made him suffer so All my sin was paid for A long, long time ago
Jesus paid for the artist's sins through His suffering on Calvary's Mountain many years ago

[Chorus]
The final chorus reminds that the artist will recognize Jesus by His wounds

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID TODD RAWLINGS, GILLIAN HOWARD WELCH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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