How Bitter-Sweet the Mystery

How bit­ter-sweet the mys­te­ry:

Christ Je­sus cru­ci­fied.

Yet

He is not the guil­ty one

No sin

though still He dies.

Hung on a cross of rug­ged wood

Received He from God’s hand

The pe­nal­ty

the wage of sin

Deserved by wick­ed man.

O! Even more hope we shall find

Beyond the death He died.

Consider this

that from the grave

He rose and is alive.

For to this end Christ Je­sus died

Was raised and lives again;

That He might be the Lord of both

The dead and the liv­ing!

What glo­ri­ous day we long await

When Christ His church shall raise.

Since then for all eter­ni­ty

The Ris­en One we’ll praise.

God de­mon­strates His love in this:

While we were yet in sin

Christ Je­sus died on our be­half.

We’re saved from wrath through Him!

Now sin­ner

hear! To His grace turn!

Repent

and be for­giv’n—

United with Him in His death;

Alive with Him now ris’n.