In this hymn we visit first-century Jerusalem as we witness Jesus walking up to Golgotha. What do we see? What do we hear? What is our response?

We see Jesus (the Lamb of God) wounded, rejected and despised. That is such a different picture than we read earlier in the gospels! What a heartbreaking sight! We also know he’s on his way to his death, which explains why his face is full of sorrow, his breathing is heavy from carrying the cross and his eyes are filled with anguish. He is despised and rejected.

We hear crowds shouting “Crucify!” and at the same time we also hear his friends and family crying in desolation. Then, we hear the hammer on his hands and we see that the sky is turning dark in the middle of the day (!) Finally, the wounded Lamb of God breathes out his final words: “It is done!”

Having just witnessed the crucifixion in our mind’s eye, what is our response? We come to the Lamb of God and we bring our sin, our shame, our weakness, our tears. He has already taken it all on the cross. We can now be restored back to God’s original design for humanity. And someday we will dwell with him eternally! Thanks be to God!