Alas, and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
This stanza might sound very familiar if you grew up singing hymns in church. Like me, you probably connected these lines to another song, “At the Cross.” However, before there was “At the Cross,” there was “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed.” To be transparent, I didn’t know this until I started researching to write this article. I will share the connection between these two songs in a moment. For now, let’s learn some more about this old hymn, “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed.”
“Alas and Did My Savior Bleed” was written more than three hundred years ago in 1707 by Isaac Watts. According to Hymnary.org, this hymn was first published in Watts’ Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Isaac was a prolific writer, spanning a variety of topics. Even though he was most famously known for writing hymns, he also wrote educational books on philosophy, grammar, geography, and astronomy. His writings were widely used throughout the 18th century.
The connection between “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed” and “At The Cross” happened in 1885. Songwriter Ralph Hudson added this refrain to the lyrics Watts had already written:
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
I have sung this song countless times in church growing up, and it is safe to say this refrain has become more popular than the original title.
As I mentioned earlier, Isaac Watts was a prolific writer. According to Charles Hutchins’s entry in Annotations of the Hymnal, Watts wrote his first hymn for worship services, “Behold the Glories of the Lamb,” when he was 20 years old. His hymns included ones for worship and ones sung after sermons he preached to express that sermon’s ideas. Watts ultimately published over 800 hymns, which were collected in books like Horae Lyricae (1705) and Hymns (1707), followed by his collected works (sermons, hymns, poems, and treatises) published in 1720. Some of Watts’ better-known titles include “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past.” These well-known, classic hymns can be found in just about any hymnal.
One of the beautiful things about the hymns is they are often filled with great theology. You will find this throughout the stanzas of this one as well. There are Scriptures aligning with each stanza of this song. Allow me to share these stanzas with you and the Scriptures that support the theology in each stanza. This is a good practice not just for the classic hymns but for any Christian or gospel song, to ensure its theology aligns with Scripture.
Stanza 1:
Alas, and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
“Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Stanza 2
Was it for sins that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown
And love beyond degree
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:5-8).
Stanza 3:
Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut His glories in
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man, the creature’s, sin
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23:44-45).
Stanza 4:
Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness
And melt my eyes to tears
“He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).
“… but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die” (John 12:32-33).
Stanza 5:
But drops of tears can ne’er repay
the debt of love I owe.
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
’tis all that I can do.
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
One of the blessings that comes from studying theology is it reminds us of what we believe, and it can be a source of encouragement. This is especially true when we put theology into song. As you think about “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed,” here are four important lessons to remember from this hymn:
1. Your sins have been washed away by the blood of the Lamb, and they will never be remembered anymore.
2. Your redemption is not temporary but eternal because you have been redeemed by his blood.
3. You are not saved because you deserve it but because of His grace.
4. Because Jesus gave his all for you, you should give your all for him.
Just think about those four things, and I am sure they will lift your spirits because that is what this song was designed to do. The next time you sing this hymn, whether it is “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed” or “At the Cross,” let the truths be a reminder of the price Jesus paid for your sins and how undeserving we really are of this great salvation. That alone should be reason for rejoicing.
Further Reading:
The Powerful Story Behind the Hymn “I Love to Tell the Story”
Who Wrote The Hymn “Lord I’m Coming Home”?
The Story Behind the Hymn 'Peace, Perfect Peace'
Who Wrote the Hymn 'Bless the Lord O My Soul'?
Photo Credit: Getty Images/jchizhe