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.
Delete Comment
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
United States
Elizabeth Cecilia Douglas Clephane, ( 1830-1869) one of the few women writers of Scotland, was born Edinburgh but grew up in Melrose, Scotland in the area of Abbotsford, near the old bridge described by the famous Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, in his book ‘The Abbot and the Monastery’.
Her father was a county sheriff and her mother a descendant of the famous Douglas family. Elizabeth was one of three sisters but she suffered physical frailties. Even despite her limitations she ( and her sisters) served the poor and sick of her community. Elizabeth was affectionately well known in her community as “The Sunbeam. ” She enjoyed writing poems and had several published in a Scottish Presbyterian Magazine called the ‘Family Treasury. ’ However the majority of these poems appeared anonymously in this magazine in 1872, three years after her early death at age 39.
“Beneath the Cross of Jesus” was written by Elizabeth in 1868, one year before her death. It was not published until 1872, when it appeared anonymously in the ‘Family Treasury’ with several of her other poems. The original poem consisted of five stanzas but today only three are used in most hymnals. Her hymns are filled with Biblical symbolism and imagery.
Cape Town, South Africa
Last line :
"my glory all the cross" is old style English meaning all (or any) glory I may share is on account of the Cross.
Yuma, AZ, United States
Many of the old hymns contain timeless truths which are relevant for today. This is one of them. The Cross of Christ- the dividing line between Eternal Life and eternal death.
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
'The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land' These words have a special relevance in today's world, lacking as it does, any Godly leadership and yet much weariness. Thank God for the Cross of Jesus and His abiding love and grace!
Marietta, GA, United States
Earl, our glory, our righteousness, our victory over sin and so many other amazing attributes that we enjoy, are ours ONLY as Christ has won these gifts and extended them to us. We have NO glory apart from Him, no eternal life apart from Him, no lasting joy, no victory... you get the pattern. Our righteousness is as filthy rags..... His is purest arraignment. Every good and perfect gift is from above. EVERY ONE.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The sentiments expressed in the lines "I ask no other sunshine than The sunshine of His face" was going on in my mind and I vaguely remembered it to be a part of some hymn and searched on the net and lo behold it is indeed from the beloved hymn "Beneath the Cross of Jesus."
Louisville, KY, United States
I heard this hymn on a radio program this morning and it blessed me greatly. The sermon text was John 17:13-19. It is a beautiful hymn that inspires a focus on Jesus rather than a focus on the things of this world.
Illinois, United States
See Isaiah chapter 32:2.
Bekasi, Jakarta, Indonesia
I feel blessing.
Kansas City, Missouri (MO), United States
Earl, I also love the part that goes, "My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross." I interpret this to mean that the only thing I need to be ashamed of is my sin, and the only thing ("all") I want to be proud of is the cross (who I am because of Jesus having become my righteousness).