Horatius Bonar was born in Edinburgh, December 19, 1808. His father was a lawyer, but he came from a long line of eminent Scottish ministers. His mother was a gentle, pious woman, and it was largely through her influence that her three sons, John, Horatius and Andrew, entered the ministry of the Church of Scotland. In one of the most squalid parts of the city he conducted services and Sunday school in a hall. The children did not seem to enjoy singing the Psalm paraphrases, which were still exclusively used by the Church of Scotland at that late date, and therefore Bonar decided to write songs of his own.Dr. Bonar wrote alot of his hymns for children; but they are so profound and intensely spiritual in their very simplicity they will always satisfy the most mature Christian mind. Bonar is ever pointing in his hymns to Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour, dwelling in simple language on the blessings of the Atonement and the willingness of God to accept all who come to Him through Christ¹.

Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done;
They bid my fear depart.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ,
Can heal my bruised soul,
Thy stripes not mine, contain
The balm to make me whole.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
Has borne the awful load
Of sins that none in Heav’n
Or earth could bear but God.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy death, not mine, O Christ,
Has paid the ransom due;
Ten thousand deaths like mine
Would have been all too few.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy righteousness, O Christ,
Alone can cover me:
No righteousness avails
Save that which is of Thee.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

¹ccel.org/ccel/ryden/hymnstory/hymnstory.p4.c52.html