You help make Hymnary.org possible.

In 2025, more than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources, and encouragement here. If Hymnary has meant something to you this year, would you take a moment to help sustain it? A gift of any size — and a note of encouragement, if you'd like to share one — directly supports the server costs, research, and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org (c/o Calvin University)
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for being part of this important online ministry resource.

Upon the cross down lying

Representative Text

1 Upon the cross down-lying,
The Lord was crucified;
In hate, kind love defying,
Their task the soldiers plied:
His limbs they stretched amain,
The sacred hands outbending;
His feet the nails were rending:
Dread was that awful pain.

2 Toward Thy hands upgazing
I whisper evermore,
This agony amazing
For me, for me He bore.
He only thus could right
My hands' misdeeds appalling;
Cleansed by His blood down falling,
Behold, my sins are white.

3 My feet too oft went straying
Down luring paths of sin;
Thy feet, close nailed, are paying
This price God's grace to win.
Henceforward let me cease
To sing Thy praises never:
Christ, guide my feet forever
Into the way of peace.

Source: American Lutheran Hymnal #389

Author: Hallgrímur Petursson

(no biographical information available about Hallgrímur Petursson.) Go to person page >

Translator: Charles Venn Pilcher

Pilcher, Charles Venn. (Oxford, June 4, 1879--July 4, 1961, Sydney, Australia). Anglican. Grandnephew of Charlotte Elliott. Hertford College, Oxford, B.A., 1902; M.A., 1905; B.D., 1909; D.D., 1921. Curacies at Birmingham, 1903-1905; St. James, Toronto, 1910-1916; taught theology at Auckland Castle, England, 1905-1906, and at Wycliffe College, Toronto, 1916-1936. Elected coadjutor bishop of Sydney, Australia, at the instance of a former Wycliffe colleague, Archbishop Mowll. He composed hymn tunes and other music, and long played bass clarinet in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Also, he translated and published much devotional material from Iceland, notably Iceland Christian Classics (1950). These side interests, like his hymn writing, merely… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Upon the cross down lying
Translator: Charles Venn Pilcher
Author: Hallgrímur Petursson
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Instances in all hymnals

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextPage Scan

American Lutheran Hymnal #389

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.