When I Survey
Tim Hughes Lyrics

Tim Hughes’s song “When I Survey” is a hymn of surrender and gratitude, with lyrics that speak to the power of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. The opening verse, “When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died,” invites the listener to reflect on the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for humanity. The next two lines, “My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride,” show that the singer is not only grateful for Jesus’s sacrifice, but also recognizes their own spiritual poverty and need for redemption.

The second verse, “See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down,” emphasizes the physical suffering that Jesus endured on the cross, and the emotional anguish that must have accompanied it. The singer marvels at the intensity of love and sorrow that the crucifixion represents, and notes that the crown of thorns that Jesus wore was a fitting symbol of his sacrifice.

The final verse, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all,” underscores the idea that nothing that the singer could offer would be enough to repay Jesus for his sacrifice. The depth of Jesus’s love demands a corresponding depth of devotion from the singer, who pledges to give their soul, life, and all to the service of the Lord.