I lived my life as I saw fit;
Obeyed the law - not a whit.
I didn’t care what others thought;
I did not do the things I ought.
The laws I broke caught up with me,
I should have been a Pharisee.
The day had come for me to pay,
For my crimes one dreadful day.

‘Twas I and one more man I knew,
Who also did the law eschew.
Now we would be crucified;
Humiliated, mortified.
Another Man was on the path
To suffer under selfsame wrath,
But there seemed not to be real crimes
By this Man whom Calvary climbed.

Beaten, bloody, weak and still,
Receiving grief and curses shrill,
The other thief, he joined along,
With the angry, hateful throng.
“How can you thus to this Man speak?
He’s very gentle and so meek.
He’s not like us and evil done;
He says that He’s God’s only Son!”

Onlookers jeered and insults tossed,
Except a few ones crushed with loss.
Was that his mother kneeling there?
I’ve never seen such pain, despair.
This Jesus Man, right next to me,
Hanging breathless from the tree,
Asked a drink; they gave Him gall;
Who is His Father that He calls?

He wore a thorny braided crown,
Blood was dripping from his brow. 
He said the most amazing thing,
“Please forgive what they’re doing.”
King of Love, and King of Grace,
Had from sinners taken place,
All wrath from God on Him was spewed,
I cried, “Remember me Lord, too?”

The sweetest sound I ever heard
The voice of Love, on me proffered,
“Forgiven sinner, you will be
In Paradise today with me.”
What joy! The burden of this cross
Away from me melted as dross.
Instead my sins on Jesus here,
My soul and conscience now both clear.

Awed adoration filled me up;
My Savior took my bitter cup.
There’s nothing for Him I could do,
But take His perfect promise true.
My comfort now was future bound,
My praises will be ever found.
Round the throne of Jesus, King,
Where I’ll forever, thankful sing!