My Redeemer
Words: Philip Paul Bliss (b. July 9, 1838; d. Dec. 29, 1876)
Music: James McGranahan (b. July 4, 1840; July 9, 1907)
Note: The account of Mr. Bliss’s tragic death is told in the Wordwise Hymns link below. This may be been the last song he ever wrote. What a testimony it is!
(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)
(1) I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered,
From the curse to set me free.
Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer,
With His blood, He purchased me.
On the cross, He sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt, and made me free.
The Lord is called the “Redeemer” of His people many times in the Old Testament–especially in the book of Isaiah. By examining the passages where the word is found, we can gain a greater understanding of just who our Redeemer is.
He is the Creator of all in heaven and earth. “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself’” (Isa. 44:24). “Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth” (Isa. 54:5). And unlike what He created, which had a beginning point, God is eternal. He always has been and always will be. “Our Redeemer from everlasting is Your name” (Isa. 63:16).
“Their Redeemer is strong; The LORD of hosts is His name” (Jer. 50:34; cf. Prov. 23:11). He is mighty both to save and to keep His children. And He leads and directs them. “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go” (Isa. 48:17).
The Lord has graciously promised to be the Saviour of all who trust in Him. “All flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour, and your Redeemer” (Isa. 49:26; cf. 60:16).
The Hebrew word translated Redeemer is Goel, and it has the connotation of one who is also a kinsman or relative. In Old Testament times, an individual would sometimes sell himself into slavery to pay a debt. But the Law of Israel provided for a goel, a kinsman-redeemer to pay the debt, and set him free. There were other duties of the goel as well–some coming into play in the book of Ruth, where Boaz serves as a kinsman-redeemer.
On this side of the cross, Christ is our Kinsman-Redeemer. He became flesh (Jn. 1:14), in order that He might take upon Himself our debt of sin, and set us free. “Christ died for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3). But He did not remain in the tomb. The Corinthian passage goes on, “He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (vs. 4), and ascended to the Father’s right hand.
One day He’s coming back again. In his time of great suffering, Job spoke out with confidence: “I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:25-26).
(2) I will tell the wondrous story,
How my lost estate to save,
In His boundless love and mercy,
He the ransom freely gave.
(4) I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His heav’nly love to me;
He from death to life hath brought me,
Son of God with Him to be.
Questions:
- Why was it important for Christ to become Man?
- How can you share the wonderful truth of the gospel with someone this week?
Links:
- 29 December 1876 – Philip Bliss Died
- My Redeemer (The Cyber Hymnal)