Today’s hymn is written by Charles Wesley. He was inspired to write the hymn after reading a short passage from the Gospel of John: “When Jesus had received the sour wine , he said ‘It is finished’; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) Of the thousands of hymn texts that Wesley wrote, this became one of his favourites. He revised the text numerous times, an unusual practice for Wesley, and upon his deathbed Wesley completed an eight-stanza version, which was published in several Methodist hymnbooks in Britain during the 19th century1. Enjoy!
‘Tis finished! The Messiah dies,
Cut off for sins, but not His own:
Accomplished is the sacrifice,
The great redeeming work is done!
’Tis finished! All the debt is paid;
Justice divine is satisfied;
The grand and full atonement made;
God for a guilty world hath died.
The veil is rent in Christ alone;
The living way to Heaven is seen;
The middle wall is broken down,
And all mankind may enter in.
The types and figures are fulfilled;
Exacted is the legal pain;
The precious promises are sealed;
The spotless Lamb of God is slain.
The reign of sin and death is o’er,
And all may live from sin set free;
Satan hath lost his mortal power;
’Tis swallowed up in victory!
Saved from the legal curse I am,
My Savior hangs on yonder tree:
See there the meek, expiring Lamb!
’Tis finished! He expires for me.
Accepted in the Well-beloved,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
I see the bar to heaven removed;
And all Thy merits, Lord, are mine!
Death, hell, and sin are now subdued;
All grace is now to sinners given;
And lo, I plead the atoning blood,
And in Thy right I claim Thy Heaven!
1umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-tis-finished-the-messiah-dies-1
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