When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Daniel Beck Lyrics
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On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all
When Daniel Beck sings When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, he is expressing deep humility and love for Christ. The lyrics speak to the profound sacrifice that Christ made when He died on the cross. Beck is filled with awe as he surveys the cross with his mind's eye and sees the Prince of glory dying there. The experience is overwhelming, and as he considers it from his own perspective, every worldly gain he once prized fades away in the light of the cross. He pours contempt on his pride, acknowledging it as foolish when compared to the sacrifice Christ made.
Beck continues in his meditation, confessing that he has nothing to boast about except the death of Christ. All the things that once drew him away from the cross are now sacrificed to Christ's blood. Beck sees Christ's suffering in detail, the sorrow and the love mingling together. He marvels at the contradiction of thorns that delivered a rich crown. Beck's plea is that he may give everything to Christ, his soul, his life, his all. The lyrics in When I Survey the Wondrous Cross speak to the heart of the Christian faith by addressing the themes of sacrifice, humility, and devotion to God.
Line by Line Meaning
When I survey the wondrous cross
As I contemplate deeply the marvelous cross
On which the Prince of glory died
The cross upon which the King of all glory gave up his life
My richest gain I count but loss
All my worldly possessions which I once held dear are worthless in comparison
And pour contempt on all my pride.
So I discard my pride, and look down upon it with utter disdain
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Lord, prevent me from boasting or taking credit of anything except the death of your Son, Christ Jesus
Save in the death of Christ my God!
Because his death paid my debt to the Lord, the only thing of value to me is Christ's death
All the vain things that charm me most,
All the things that once entertained me, but are of no lasting value
I sacrifice them to His blood.
I am willing to let go of everything, offering them to Christ's blood
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Look at the wounds on His head, His hands, and His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Witness the blend of sorrow and divine love that pour out from them
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Has such a combination of love and sorrow ever been seen before?
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Can a crown made of thorns hold such rich symbolism?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
Even if I owned all of nature
That were a present far too small;
It still would not be enough to repay the debt of love
Love so amazing, so divine,
The love of God is so incredible, so heavenly
Demands my soul, my life, my all
It requires my heart, my being, and everything I am
Writer(s): Isaac Watts, Riegger
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.