1
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
2
Oh, safe and happy shelter!
Oh, refuge tried and sweet!
Oh, trysting place where heaven's love
And heaven's justice meet.
As to the holy patriarch
That wondrous dream was given,
So is my Savior by the cross
A ladder up to heaven.
Oh, refuge tried and sweet!
Oh, trysting place where heaven's love
And heaven's justice meet.
As to the holy patriarch
That wondrous dream was given,
So is my Savior by the cross
A ladder up to heaven.
3
There lies beneath its shadow,
But on the farther side,
The darkness of an awful grave
That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross,
Two arms outstretched to save,
Like a watchman set to guard the way
From that eternal grave.
But on the farther side,
The darkness of an awful grave
That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross,
Two arms outstretched to save,
Like a watchman set to guard the way
From that eternal grave.
4
Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,
And my own worthlessness.
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,
And my own worthlessness.
5
I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.
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Falls Church, VA, United States
Dave, that was beautiful! Thanks for sharing. I read a quote in Streams in the Desert that seems appropriate. "Call nothing small if it bears us His message." That ray of sun brought the Son near that day.
Staten Island, NY, United States
This song has been in my head all morning.
I started singing it aloud as I walked outside to take in my mail after the rain.
“I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face; ”
Right before I got to “I ask no other sunshine…” the sun came out and shined down on me.
Amazing.
A great reminder to fix my attention on His face. And now another hymn comes to mind, “…look full in His wonderful face. ”
I’m going to put my phone down now and do that without distraction for a bit.
My Jesus!
Tennessee, United States
The line is actually correct in the original hymn:
The wonders of my stricken heart, with tears, Two wonders I confess-
The wonders of redeeming love
And my own worthlessness.
It has been changed, in my opinion, because it has been changed from divine truth to something much lower to make people comfortable.
Smitten instead of stricken?? Is our love not as strong anymore?
Love is glorious but not redeeming- because that might offend some people.
Worthlessness changed to unworthiness because we want to lead people to believe there’s some amount of respectability left in them even though they may be headed to Hell?
Be careful how hymns have been changed to meet the world’s standards today... dumbing things down to make them more comfortable.
Northport, Alabama, United States
A cross hangs on my wall near the sofa. I sat and turned to the cross. I thought, I am beneath the Cross of Jesus. Then recalling this hymn I could remember the first 4 lines if this song from long ago as a kid !
Refreshing my memory today, I wanted to rehearse this tune. It is the season of Lent. I have a pennent ❤. Coming back to the fold and in the arms of Jesus.
Glory be to the Father.
Chichester, NY, United States
I lost one of my parakeets and feel so sad and with Jesus constant love I will comfort the remaining parakeet and I sang this song to her it comforted her and myself.
Northwood, Ohio, United States
I was going to sleep tonight, praying for our Great Land, the United States of America and our Dear President who has tried and tried to keep us safe. As iI closed my eyes to sleep, I remembered this beautiful song. Content to let the world go by. To know no gain or loss. My sinful self my only shame. My glory all the cross. I know our Lord has a wonderful plan for every soul , so tonight I'll rest in knowing , how much He loves each and every one. Amen 🙏🏻
West Columbia, South Carolina, United States
After a life of selfishness I found this great song again. What a wonderful and comforting song for my heart. The last two lines brings me great peace. No loss - no gain only Jesus. Wow
Monument, CO, United States
Earl: another look at ""My sinful self my only shame" but don't understand the last line "My glory all the cross". My mind wants it to say "MY glory on the cross".
In this context Earl, the symbolism is that Jesus has become one with the cross. The ultimate humiliation. Jesus likely hung fully naked, his body raked with blood, with cuts. We look at this cross, which hung our savior, and recognize that Jesus' only purpose there was to suffer our sins. The nails, the thorns, the whippings are the physical manifestations of our sins. We recognize that we put him there.
Placing ourselves beneath the cross of Jesus is the ultimate facing of our true selves, and our acknowledgement.
Phoenix, AZ, United States
Before I went to bed tonight I just had to listen to this! My glory all the Cross!
Dimapur, Nagaland, India
This song has been my comfort from thr first time I got to listen. wherever I go, I sing this song with whoever knows this song!!