Today’s hymn comes from Anne Cousin (1824-1906). Anne was the daugh­ter of a doc­tor, and wife of Will­iam Cou­sin, pas­tor of the Free Church of Mel­rose, Scot­land. She con­trib­ut­ed ma­ny po­ems to va­ri­ous pe­ri­od­i­cals and four of her hymns were in­clud­ed in the 1876 Scot­tish Pres­by­te­ri­an Hym­nal. Gospel singer Ira Sankey shared this story regarding this hymn: “A young of­fi­cer in the Brit­ish ar­my turned away in hor­ror from the doc­trine of this hymn. His pride re­volt­ed, his self right­eous­ness rose in re­bell­ion, and he said: He would be a cow­ard in­deed who would go to heav­en at the cost of an­oth­er! As the years rolled away, this man rose to dis­tinc­tion and high rank in the ar­my, and he al­so learned wis­dom. In his last hours, as he lay on his death­bed, he re­peat­ed­ly begged those near him to sing O Christ, what burd­ens bowed Thy head, call­ing it, My hymn, my hymn!”¹ Enjoy!

O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Didst bear all ill for me;
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed,
Now there’s no load for me.
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed,
Now there’s no load for me.

The curse of death was in our cup:
The cup was full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
And emptied it for me.
That bitter cup, love drank it up;
There is no curse for me.
That bitter cup, love drank it up;
There is no curse for me.

Jehovah raised the rod to smite;
The blow returned on Thee;
Upon Thy form did it alight,
And passed away from me;
Thy soul so white did wrath affright,
There is no wrath for me.
Thy soul so white did wrath affright,
There is no wrath for me.

The tempest’s awful voice was heard,
Its thunders broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
And it protected me;
Thy body scarred, Thy visage marred,
There is no storm for me.
Thy body scarred, Thy visage marred,
There is no storm for me.

For us, Lord Jesus, hast Thou died,
That we might die in Thee;
But Thou art raised and glorified,
And livest now in me;
Hell’s host defied! heav’n open wide!
There is no death for me.
Hell’s host defied! heav’n open wide!
There is no death for me

¹hymntime.com/tch/htm/o/c/w/b/ocwbubth.htm#:~:text=As%20the%20years%20rolled%20away,%2C%20My%20hymn%2C%20my%20hymn!