I Stand Amazed...

Another look at a song proclaiming Christ!

I Stand Amazed
Author: Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856 – 1932)

Scriptures: Matthew 26:43; Luke 22:41; Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 3:18-19
Themes: Love of Christ, Passion, Gethsemane, Praise

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

- Jesus came to this earth to be a human. Philippians 2 (Nazarene)
- He was despised and rejected. Is. 53:3, Jn 1:46. Can anything good come from Nazareth. Even despised by his hometown.
- Rom 5:8. And while we were yet sinners (haters of God, insubordinate, lovers of iniquity and darkness)...Christ died for us.
- Truly an awe inspiring verse. It is only possible that we can be saved and know God because of His great love. It is a wonder.

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

Just a simple, yet profound response to Christ's actions. Verse 1 pictures His coming to earth as the Nazarene. Verse 2 highlights His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane praying for God's will to be done. Verse 3 is the conclusion of His prayer in the garden when the angels came and ministered to Him. Verse 4 focuses on the cross and the fulfillment of His purpose here on earth...to die for sinners. Verse 5 culminates the story and fast forwards our own soul to heaven where we will see our Savior face to face and what a joy it will be to thank Him in song and praise for the rest of my days because my soul has been purchased and redeemed out of the pit of hell.

The chorus is a simple refrain of the fact that the song that we sing to Christ now on this earth and forever in heaven is so marvelous and wonderful...because the Great love that Jesus had for me to humble Himself to become a man, suffer hardship, die alone, so that I can know Him and be with Him for all eternity.

For me it was in the garden
He prayed, “Not My will, but Thine”;
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.

Verse 2 is omitted from many hymn books because of the second phrase "He had no tears for His own griefs, but sweat drops of blood for mine." The reason being Hebrews 5:7. "In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety." This verse clearly states that Christ did cry tears for His own grief...the fact that He asked the Father if God would allow this cup to pass from Him, meaning the death upon the cross and the separation from His Father. Luke 22:42

Yes, Jesus did die for the unjust...and if the word "griefs" here is in reference to sin...then yes, Jesus shed no tears for His own sin because He never sinned. 2 Cor 5:21. However if sin is implied there for the word griefs, the it would imply that He could have sinned, or had sinned in other instances, which is not true.

Probably a good idea that this verse is left out...however I would love to know what the original intent of that line was. It is usually the case in songs that there is some "bend" to Scripture in songs in order to have words or phrases that rhyme...however, that line in no way rhymes anyway. You could put any clearly truthful line in there and still finish with "but sweat drops of blood for mine." A line like "He kneeled and cried to the Father...and sweat drops of blood (or like blood) for mine." Pretty simple fix...but I think the author was placing the focus on the believer (himself personally), and contrasting that with the thought that Jesus was not doing this for Himself (His own griefs), but for the sinner (1 Pet 3:18-just dying for the unjust). You see that from the first line of the stanza, "for me it was in the garden". This sets up the thought that Jesus was thinking of the sinner. However, with verses like Hebrews 5:7, and the idea that Jesus' grief was more for His coming death and separation from God than because mankind was sinful...I think this verse is better not sung, or tweaked some, which some hymn books have done. (ie. "He cried with tears in His sorrow but sweat drops of blood for mine.")

In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.

This entire stanza is born out of one verse in Scripture, found in Luke 22:43.  This verse isn't even cross referenced in any other gospel account. It is one line that says that an angel ministered to Jesus while he was praying in order to strengthen Him. This is similar to the account in Matthew 4 where angels ministered to Jesus after the 40 day temptation in the wilderness. This shows the great compassion of the Lord that while in Isaiah it says that it pleased the Lord to crush Him (speaking of the Messiah), that He still dispatches His angels to minister to His Son during His most trying times on Earth.

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary
And suffered and died alone.

2 Cor 5:21- He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf
Isaiah 53:5- By His wounds we are healed
Luke 22:33-49- Christ bore the cross and died a sinners death
This verse speaks of the death of our Savior on the cross. The main passage being out of 2 Cor 5 where Jesus is the one who had never sinned, and yet became sin, to bear sin and die in my place a death that I deserved.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
‘Twill be my joy thru the ages
To sing of His love for me.

John 3:16- Eternal life for all who believe in Jesus
1 Cor 15:50-58- Those who know Jesus as their Savior will all be changed and resurrected in the last day
Rev 4 and 19- Picture of a scene in heaven that shows that we will sing and worship the Lamb forever
The last verse has me excited for what is to come. Glory will be for all who trust in the Name of the Lord. The ransomed, the ones that are there who have believed in Christ, will be there...and we will see Him face to face. And we will sing...

Wishing this song had a verse on the resurrection as well. Starts with Christ's humanity, then suffering, and death...to skip the resurrection to jump directly to glory seems to be a bit off...however, the song still brings serious praise!

How can we help but “stand amazed” in His presence? How marvelous! How wonderful!