‘My Jesus Fair’

This is an excellent hymn that we learned as a congregation last Sunday night. Hope many churches will sing it!

My Jesus, fair, was pierced by thorns,
By thorns grown from the fall.
Thus He who gave the curse was torn
To end that curse for all.

Chorus:
O love divine, O matchless grace-
That God should die for men!
With joyful grief I lift my praise,
Abhorring all my sin,
Adoring only Him.

My Jesus, meek, was scorned by men,
By men in blasphemy.
“Father, forgive their senseless sin!”
He prayed, for them, for me.

My Jesus, kind, was torn by nails,
By nails of cruel men.
And to His cross, as grace prevailed,
God pinned my wretched sin.

My Jesus, pure, was crushed by God,
By God, in judgment just.
The Father grieved, yet turned His rod
On Christ, made sin for us.

My Jesus, strong, shall come to reign,
To reign in majesty.
The Lamb arose, and death is slain.
Lord, come in victory!

(Chris Anderson and Gregg Habbeger)

Also, here are Chris Anderson’s doctrinal notes on the song:

Because God delights in worship that is biblical, thoughtful and passionate—what we often call intentional—please consider the following overview of the biblical texts and theological themes behind the hymn My Jesus, Fair:

Verse 1 focuses on the irony that the curse which was given by God (pictured by the thorns of Genesis 3:18) was actually borne by God at Calvary (pictured by the crown of thorns).

The chorus expresses wonder at the sacrifice of the Son of God on our behalf, to which we respond with both joy and grief—abhorring our sin and adoring our Savior.

Verse 2 focuses on the scorn heaped upon our Lord at His trial and death, contrasting it with His silence and prayer for their (and our) forgiveness in Luke 23:34.

Verse 3 alludes to Colossians 2:14, where Scripture uses the powerful picture of God nailing our sins to the cross even as sinners nailed His Son to the cross.

Verse 4 is really the pinnacle of the hymn, expressing wonder at the doctrine of propitiation—that God was pleased to crush His Son and satisfied by His atoning death (Isaiah 53:10-11). It is worth considering that while we generally think in terms of the suffering of Christ, the wrath poured upon Him and the breaking of fellowship must have been infinitely grievous to the Father and Spirit, as well. The verse concludes with an allusion to Christ’s being made sin for us from 2 Corinthians 5:21. The more we meditate on the doctrine of propitiation, the more amazed we will be. It is glorious.

Verse 5 rejoices in Christ’s slaying death by His resurrection and anticipates His glorious return. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

(The notes for My Jesus, Fair were written by Chris Anderson.)

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