Lyrics - The Power of the Cross

Verse 1

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then

nailed to a cross of wood.

Verse 2

Oh, to see the pain written on Your face,

bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev'ry bitter thought, ev'ry evil deed

crowning Tour bloodstained brow.

Chorus 1

This the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us.

Took the blame, bore the wrath;

we stand forgiven at the cross!

Verse 3

Now the daylight flees; now the ground beneath

quakes as its Maker bows his head.

Curtain torn in two; dead are raised to life;

"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Chorus 2

This the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us.

Took the blame, bore the wrath;

we stand forgiven at the cross!

Verse 4

Oh, to see my name written in the wounds,

for through Your suff'ring I am free!

Death is crushed to death; life is mine to live,

won through Your selfless love!

Chorus 2

This the pow'r of the cross:

Son of God, slain for us.

What a love, what a cost— 

we stand forgiven at the cross!

Bible Memory Verses

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.

-  Psalm 32:1 (ESV)

Story Behind the Song

This hymn was written in 2018 (by some in the Getty music writing team) from a desire to sing more Psalms in Church. The Psalms were the first hymns sung by the church and this book in the Bible has been the songbook of God’s people for many generations. They sing widely and deeply of the character and purposes of God as well as of the whole human experience.

Psalm 130 is a lament. It has brought constant comfort to those who are struggling, those who cry out to God in need of His help and also His hope. This sung version of the Psalm, in the tradition of the hymn writer Isaac Watts, included a meditation on Christ and the cross and how this speaks most fully into our suffering.

We almost always sing it with the ‘Martyrdom’ tune in the Scottish Psalter setting of Psalm 130 at the beginning and the end. (See note below). It was first recorded in Northern Ireland in a Psalms project, in a studio by the sea that looked over to Scotland. This inspired Keith to add the Martyrdom tune to the song. 

Later that year it was launched at the Sing Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

(Writers - Keith Getty, Stuart Townend, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker) 

*The Scottish Psalter was first published in Scotland in the 16th century. It sets each Psalm into a singable, rhyming lyric to be sung with a collection of different melodies. It was sung by many exclusively for nearly two centuries!

Something to Think About

Long ago, watchmen (guards) would stand on a city wall or in a high tower to keep watch through the night. This was a way to protect the people close by and sound an alarm if there was danger. The darkness made it harder to see and more likely that an enemy would attack.

In Psalm 130 the watchman is longing and faithfully waiting for the morning, when the sun would rise and the fears of the night would fall away.  Like the watchman the Psalmist decides to faithfully wait in his dark time for the Lord who would come like the dawn and save him.

We all live through times of struggle. This world is broken and all the breaks hurt us. It might seem sometimes that the darkness will never end. This is when we must remember the truth of God’s Word, the victorious work of Jesus on the cross, the promises He will always keep. We must not give up hope. We can’t fall asleep. We must wait on Him.

He is not far away but close. We can stay close to Him, know Him walking the road with us. And that road is the only way that leads to the light and healing and fullness of our home with Him. So let this hymn help remind you. Think today how we can turn in prayer, worship and service again to the Lord who hears our cry for help. We can choose again to trust Him; to wait for Him. 

Prayer

Father in heaven,

Thank you that I walk each day in the victory of Christ, certain you hold my times in your hand. Thank you that you will one day make everything right. Until then help me wait for you. May my deepest longing be for the hope and life you bring.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

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