He stood before the court
1 He stood before the court
on trial instead of us;
he met its power to hurt,
condemned to face the cross:
our king, accused
of treachery;
our God, abused
for blasphemy!
2 These are the crimes that tell
the tale of human guilt;
our sins, our death, our hell
on these the case is built:
to this world's powers
their Lord stays dumb;
the guilt is ours,
no answers come.
3 The sentence must be passed,
the unknown prisoner killed;
the price is paid at last,
the law of God fulfilled:
he takes our blame,
and from that day
the accuser's claim
is wiped away.
4 Shall we be judged and tried?
In Christ our trial is done;
we live, for he has died,
our condemnation gone:
in Christ are we
both dead and raised,
alive and free
his name be praised!
Christopher Idle
© Christopher Idle/Jubilate Hymns Ltd
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part of the podcast series: 30 Hymns: Christopher Idle with Lance & Sue Pierson
