Featured Hymn for March 19: Ah, Holy Jesus

John records in his gospel the long discourse Jesus gave before his Passion, where Jesus foreshadowed what was to come. First, he foretells Peter's denial: “Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” (John 13:38b, NIV). Later, he describes what he will do: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13, NIV). In the first two stanzas of this hymn, we recognize that, like Peter, we are guilty of rejecting Christ, as we sing, “'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.” Then we meditate on the great love of Christ in suffering for us, and conclude with a promise to “think on thy [Christ's] pity and thy love unswerving, not my deserving.”

View worship notes, composer biographies, historical information and more about this featured hymn at www.hymnary.org.