When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

by Jacob Mast

When I survey the wondrous cross...
This is the cross of death, the instrument of cruel death! On this cross the Lord Jesus suffered Himself to be nailed. He had at His disposal many legions of angels who would have instantly come to His rescue. No doubt they would have slain every bloodstained hand that dared to lift itself against their Creator. But even in such pain, He held them back by His powerful word and by His great love.

On which the Prince of Glory died...
This was no ordinary human. This was Almighty God. This was He who formed all things. This was the Prince of Heaven who had created man, but was now allowing man to slay Him. As those cold, hard nails were cruelly driven through His hands, He did not so much as speak a word or protest. It overwhelms us to see such love, but at the same time, it makes us fearful to disobey such a one’s least command, lest we should feel the wrath of the Father who dearly loves Him who died.

My richest gain I count but loss...
Indeed, what can be compared with such? What is there on earth that is worthy to be thought of at the same time? It is but dung! Who could want to stay here on earth gaining filthy lucre when one can obtain such riches as those that are from above? O friends, let us hasten on our way; let us not pause to ponder upon this world and how to gain its riches. We have a higher calling than that.

And pour contempt on all my pride.
Yes, contempt is what pride needs! Such love pleads that one would utterly loathe such an ugly thing—and not as in pouring cupfuls of water on a campfire, but rather as in taking a high pressure fire hose to a raging fire!

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast...
Forbid it, Lord, that I should glory in any other. Forbid it, Lord, that I should think of my own righteousness. Forbid it that I should do anything but wholly lean on Thee.

Save in the death of Christ, my Lord...
Yes, indeed, of that I shall boast: that my God so loves me that He died in my place, that He, the perfect One, would suffer the sentence of my crime. Let us always be mindful of this. Let us not forget how the Judge took His own death sentence for us upon Himself, how He willingly went to the gallows and hung there in our place. Let us not deceive ourselves; we richly deserve to suffer!

All the vain things that charm me most...
What is it that charms us most? Is it our business? Our earthly dreams? Those things which we longingly hope to obtain? Is not even our life unworthy to be compared?

I sacrifice them to His blood.
Yes, with glee I sacrifice my new car, my house, my bank account, fame, or approval of man. I willingly accept with joy the contempt of a scornful world. Oh, that we would rather eat bread and water and keep peace with Jesus, than abound in earthly treasure and be counted an enemy of His!

See from His head, His hands, His feet...
Yes, gaze upon them and ponder much. Be amazed at the sight of them. Marvel at such patience. How the thorns did pierce this beautiful Rose! How He spills forth His blood, patiently suffering the buffetings of sinful man, patiently suffering the buffetings of my own hands! Such beauty there is to be seen there. Oh, that tongues were not so feeble and could do justice to it! Surely man did not know that he was buffeting God...or did he?

Sorrow and love flow mingled down...
Yes, sorrow that man had fallen, sorrow that man had gone the way of devils, sorrow that He had lost that intimate fellowship with man, sorrow that man had gone his own way. Yet He demonstrates His great love by offering to buy man back, offering to make a new covenant with man. His love is an earnest longing for man to come back to Him. Are we not called to be His disciples? Is it not true that a disciple does that which he sees his Master doing? How should we then live so as not to grieve Him more? Sorrow and love flow mingled down: of which is there more?

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet...
Was anyone else ever willing to suffer so? Was anyone else ever able to pay the cost of our sins? Could anyone bear such grief but Him alone? In spite of being offered the world, He chose to suffer. Do we truly follow Him?

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Surely man’s hatred must have been great to so severely abuse and mock his King! Surely pride is a very deadly poison if it would cause one to be so blind as to crown Him in such a cruel manner. Brethren, let us not deceive ourselves; that is self-righteousness in action. Let us ever be mindful of those things, and let us not return to doing such deeds.

Were the whole realm of nature mine...
What words these are! This speaks of all we have, all our earthly things. What if we were able to gain the whole world? What if we were able to cause all things to become ours? Yet, even then...

That were a present far too small...
Indeed, even that gift would not suffice to bring before the King of Kings; it would yet be far too small. No amount of earthly treasure will do, no matter how vast. What little we do have is hardly worth being counted, yet we think at times that we are giving up a lot.

Love so amazing, so divine...
Yes, this is no ordinary love—this is God’s amazing love! Perhaps one would dare to die for his friend or for a good man, but that one would die for His executioners...

Demands my soul, my life, my ALL!
Yes, such love constrains me to give my all! It constrains me to despise my own life. Such love cannot be contained and must be returned, no matter how small it may seem in return. Such love must not be kept to oneself because it is altogether lovely and good. Such love makes me want to follow Him.

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