A Survey of Good Friday… On this Saturday morning, my musings are quiet and reflecting. How can one listen again to the horrors of Good Friday and not have it impact your heart, mind and soul? This day after Jesus’ crucifixion has nothing mentioned about it in Scripture. I call this day my in-between day—in-between death and new life.
On this day which some call a vigil, it makes sense to think, ponder and if you are a musician like I am, perhaps even a song may be on your mind. For me, it is always When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. I find the words more powerful than any other hymn—no matter how old or new. And one of my reasons is the text that takes me through my own life and the life of the man who wrote this hymn—that rebel, Isaac Watts. I identify with Watts because, like him, I was one who bucked the church’s status quo on music, women in ministry, etc. I like to read his story and so I share it with you on this in-between day. I hope you enjoy and see how God uses even us rebels to shake up complacency and inability to change when change is needed!
Watts was born in England in 1674. As soon as he could write it was evident that he had a love for poetry and music. In fact, his love of prose surpassed a simple desire to experience other’s work, for Isaac began writing verses of his own before some children could even read! His mother quickly noticed this and when he was 7, she asked him to write her a poem on-the-spot! Using the ten letters of his name he penned this in less than 10 minutes:
I am a vile polluted lump of earth,
So I’ve continued ever since my birth;
Although Jehovah, grace doth daily give me,
As sure this monster Satan will deceive me,
Come, therefore, Lord, from Satan’s claws relieve me.
Wash me in Thy blood, O Christ,
And grace divine impart,
Then search and try the corners of my heart,
That I in all things may be fit to do,
Service to Thee, and sing Thy praise too.”
His mother was astounded! As he grew, his quick wit often manifested in rebellious ways, like family prayer-time! He spied a mouse trying to climb a rope so blurted out while his father was praying: “A little mouse for want of stairs, ran up a rope to say its prayers.” Funny as it sounds, his father was not impressed. After a harsh scolding, he couldn’t help himself again, and said, “O father, father, pity take; And I will no more verses make.”
Isaac would go on to use that combination of poetry and rebellion to forever change how churches worship. Why—because he was always bothered by how worship was handled. In those days, the Church of England believed hymns should be slow and ponderous, void of emotion and certainly without any joy. Pietism was in order and your “emotions be damned” he would say so often it got him in trouble very often!
Isaac wrote to the music headmaster of the church saying, “The singing of God’s praise is the part of worship most closely related to heaven; but its performance among us is the worst on earth.” He was vocal in condemning these hymns both in words and music that was, for the most part, un-singable. He voiced his frustrations to his father who agreed and told him, “Son, stop complaining and do something about it.” That’s all Isaac needed to hear, and truly the rest is history.
In fact, on that very Sunday after his father encouraged him, he wrote his first hymn and presented it to his church—it was received with adoration from the people and even more so, the pastor. In that moment he went to his knees before the altar and dedicated his life to God in writing hymns so people could praise God with joy, using words and music they could understand and sing. He went on in his life to write over 600 hymns, reminding the world that worshiping God should be corporate as well as a joyful and a personal experience. This also led Isaac to seminary to become a pastor. He felt this teaching would be good for his writing and obviously, he was right! Even his fellow seminarians loved his writings.
The Church of England however, did not, but they couldn’t stop the people from singing his hymns, so they dubbed them as ‘hymns of human composure’ which became the people’s joy to flaunt in the face of the church’s upper-crust. As much as the church tried to stop it, God’s plans were stronger. God upended their displeasure and Isaac’s rebellious ways continued until he took his last breath.
Probably the most famous and emotionally-powerful of Isaac’s writings is When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. On his “in-between” day from Good Friday to Easter, his prayer was how his mind surveyed that day and if he would have been there how it would have impacted him. Within an hour he had written the lyrics! We do not know the original tune it was sung to, but most historians believe it was a tune called Hamburg, which was a folk-tune and used in the collection of Hymns Ancient & Modern, and is close to the tune we sing today.
Know why I sing this tune on my “in-between day” each year? Because each stanza brings me to the cross and takes me to the empty tomb. And each year I offer thanks to God for giving such talent to a young rebel—Isaac, and yes—myself as well. As I write music, lyrics, devotions, etc., I know from-my-heart-to-my-mind-to-my-pen that God is doing something through me for his glory. God and I tussle sometimes, but the more I rest in his wisdom and read the Scriptures, we work together beautifully—not bad for a rebel. Like Isaac, God needs rebels to stir the hearts and minds of complacency. So, take a survey…you might want to start with the cross, AMEN.
~ When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.
~ Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
~ See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?
~ Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.
Enjoy this new “blended” version from artists Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. I think Watts would have loved it!
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