Hallelujah What a Savior by Philip Bliss, 1875. Arranged by “Ascend the Hill” 2010.

Verse 1:

Man of Sorrows! What a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Observe: Consider the heights. Eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, infinite. The Father said, “Let there be…” and the Son obeyed. The cosmos continues only by “the word of the Son’s power” because he is the exact imprint of the radiance of the glory of God. (Hebrews 1:3a).

Consider the depths. Man of sorrows. Isaiah writes He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3, ESV).

Our finite minds cannot comprehend either the heights where Jesus dwelt eternally in perfect harmony and union with his Father and the Spirit or the depths to which he descended to reclaim a ruined creation and image-bearers. For those with eyes to see, only “Hallelujah!” can be said.

Verse 2:

Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned He stood
He sealed my pardon with His blood
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

The exact display of the radiance and glory of the eternal God veiled his glory in flesh. He wouldn’t have stood out in a crowd, for he was ‘everyman’ in stature and appearance. Isaiah writes For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. (53:2).

He came for one reason. Isaiah explains. He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (53:5–6).

We are sinners. We’re like clueless sheep going our self-willed way in defiance of God. Verse 3 describes who we are and who he is.

Guilty, vile, and helpless me;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

As unimaginable as it is for us to comprehend the heights to the depths Jesus traveled, so too, it is equally impossible for us to imagine the breadth of grace and mercy that moved God to be condemned and die to seal our pardon. We understand guilty; we understand helpless; we admit that is our condition. But think for a minute about vile. That’s right; we are vile in God’s sight. Some synonyms: foul, repellent, revolting, gross, icky, and most expressive, vomitous. That God would consider us at all, for those with ears to hear, only “Hallelujah!” can be said.

To our inability to comprehend heights and depths between heaven and a fallen creation, and our failure to understand the grace and mercy God displayed, we can add our complete surprise to hear that all this was planned and promised before time began. The Father, Son, and Spirit have made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:9–10).

For those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and a new heart to believe, we gradually realize the heights, depths, mercy, grace, and sovereign plan of God in Christ. When we focus inward on our trials and our sin, we can’t understand how we can be safe. But when we look to Christ, our High Priest, we can’t see how we could ever be in danger.

The redeemed wait patiently for the event described in verse 4.

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

For those with Spirit quickened eyes, ears, and heart, only “Hallelujah” can be said. Make this your word and song today.

Blessings, Pastor Don.