Up Calvary’s mountain, one dreadful morn,
Walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn;
Facing for sinners death on the cross,
That He might save them from endless loss.

Refrain

Blessèd Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding—dying for me!

“Father forgive them!” thus did He pray,
E’en while His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe
No one but Jesus ever loved so.

Refrain

O how I love Him, Savior and Friend,
How can my praises ever find end!
Through years unnumbered on Heaven’s shore,
My tongue shall praise Him forevermore.

Refrain

“Father, forgive,” the Savior said
“They know not what they do”;
His heart was moved when thus He prayed
For me, my friends, and you.

Through love of sin, we long were prone
To act as Satan bid;
But now, with grief and shame we own,
We knew not what we did.

We knew not the desert of sin,
Nor Whom we thus defied;
Nor where our guilty souls had been,
If Jesus had not died.

We knew not what a law we broke,
How holy, just and pure!
Nor what a God we durst provoke,
But thought ourselves secure.

But Jesus all our guilt foresaw,
And shed His precious blood
To satisfy the holy law,
And make our peace with God.

My sin, dear Savior, made Thee bleed,
Yet didst Thou pray for me!
I knew not what I did, indeed,
When ignorant of Thee.

“Forgive them, O my Father,
They know not what they do.”
The Savior spoke in anguish,
As sharp iron nails went through.
No word of anger spoke He
To them that shed His blood,
But prayer and tenderest pity
Large as the love of God.

For me was that compassion,
For me that tender care;
I need His wide forgiveness
As much as any there.
It was my pride and hardness
That hung Him on the tree;
Those cruel nails, O Savior,
Were driven in by me.

And often I have slighted
Thy gentle voice that said:
Forgive me too, Lord Jesus,
I knew not what I did.
O depth of sweet compassion!
O love divine and true!
Save Thou the souls that slight Thee,
And know not what they do.

Jesus, in Thy dying woes,
Even while Thy lifeblood floes,
Craving pardon for Thy foes;
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Savior, for our pardon sue,
When our sins Thy pangs renew,
For we know not what we do:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

O may we, who mercy need,
Be like Thee in heart and deed,
When with wrong our spirits bleed:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Jesus, pitying the sighs
Of the thief, who near Thee dies,
Promising him paradise;
Hear us, holy Jesus.

May we, in our guilt and shame,
Still Thy love and mercy claim,
Calling humbly on Thy Name:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

O remember us who pine,
Looking from our cross to Thine;
Cheer our souls with hope divine:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Jesus, loving to the end
Her whose heart Thy sorrows rend,
And Thy dearest human friend:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

May we in Thy sorrows share,
And for Thee all peril dare,
And enjoy Thy tender care:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

May we all Thy loved ones be,
All one holy family,
Loving for the love of Thee,
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Jesus, whelmed in fears unknown,
With our evil left alone,
While no light from Heav’n is shown:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Though no Father seem to hear,
Though no light our spirits cheer,
Tell our faith that God is near:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Jesus, in Thy thirst and pain,
While Thy wounds Thy lifeblood drain,
Thirsting more our love to gain:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Thirst for us in mercy still;
All Thy holy work fulfill;
Satisfy Thy loving will:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

May we thirst Thy love to know;
Lead us in our sin and woe
Where the healing waters flow:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Jesus, all our ransom paid,
All Thy Father’s will obeyed,
All Thy suff’rings perfect made:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Save us in our soul’s distress,
Be our help to cheer and bless,
While we grow in holiness:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

Jesus, all Thy labor vast,
All Thy woe and conflict past,
Yielding up Thy soul at last:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

When the death shades round us lower,
Guard us from the temper’s power,
Keep us in that trial hour:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

May Thy life and death supply
Grace to live and grace to die,
Grace to reach the home on high:
Hear us, holy Jesus.

O word of pity, for our pardon pleading,
Breathed in the hour of loneliness and pain;
O voice, which through the ages interceding,
Calls us to fellowship with God again.

O word of comfort, through the silence stealing,
As the dread act of sacrifice began;
O infinite compassion, still revealing
The infinite forgiveness won for man.

O word of hope to raise us nearer heaven,
When courage fails us and when faith is dim;
The souls for whom Christ prays to Christ are given,
To find their pardon and their joy in Him.

O Intercessor, who art ever living
To plead for dying souls that they may live,
Teach us to know our sin which needs forgiving,
Teach us to know the love which can forgive.