Hymn 25

1. Who has believed our message from on high
   that God’s own Son, who laid his glories by,
   came down from heav’n to suffer and to die
   for our transgression?
   Who saw revealed in him God’s pow’r and favour –
   the mighty arm of him who sent our Saviour,
   that we, his people, might be free forever
   from sin and shame?
   
   
2. See how he grew up like a tender plant
   and sprouted from a root in arid land.
   He had no form or beauty to command
   our adoration.
   He was despised and by mankind rejected –
   a man of sorrows, burdened and afflicted.
   His greatness was not noticed or respected:
   we shrank from him.
   
   
3. Our suff’rings and infirmities he bore;
   our sorrows he was willing to endure,
   while we thought he was being punished for
   his own wrongdoing.
   But he was pierced because of our transgression,
   bruised for our sin: his punishments and passion
   procured our peace; his scourgings and oppression
   healed us again.
   
   
4. All we like wilful sheep have gone astray;
   we’ve turned, each one to his own wicked way.
   Thus God has charged him by his death to pay
   for our offences.
   Our shame he suffered in complete submission;
   he held his tongue when we showed our derision,
   bore us no rancour for our lack of vision
   and wilful wrong.
   
   
5. He opened not his mouth when foes had come
   to lead him to the slaughter like a lamb;
   he, like a sheep before its shearers dumb,
   heard his accusers.
   He was oppressed, but then the LORD relieved him.
   Who of his generation then received him
   as sent from God because mankind had grieved him
   with all their sins?
   
   
6. With wicked men they him a grave assigned,
   but then a rich man him a tomb did find,
   since he had not been to deceit inclined,
   for he was blameless.
   It was God’s will to grieve him by oppression:
   he made his Son an off’ring for transgression.
   He, when at last he has fulfilled his mission,
   shall see his seed.
   
   
7. The fruit of all his suffering and pain
   shall he behold, contented with his gain:
   that men through his instruction may obtain
   his boundless mercy.
   Hence I, the LORD, reward him for his passion
   and many shall I make his own possession:
   the ones for whom he made his intercession,
   for whom he died.