My Commonplace Book... My favorite Hymn: The Old Rugged Cross

When I was a child, about 3-5 yrs. old, I would go around singing the refrain from "The Old Rugged Cross".  I sang just the refrain, because that was all I knew. lol.  It got to bugging my parents and they told me that if I was going to sing a song, I needed to learn the entire song.  So, they taught me "The Old Rugged Cross". 

When perusing the web today, I came upon the following picture:

This made me want to save my favorite song to my commonplace book.

1. On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
   The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
   And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
   For a world of lost sinners was slain.

   Refrain:
   So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
   Till my trophies at last I lay down;
   I will cling to the old rugged cross,
   And exchange it someday for a crown.

2. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
   Has a wondrous attraction for me;
   For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
   To bear it to dark Calvary.
3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
   A wondrous beauty I see,
   For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
   To pardon and sanctify me.
4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
   Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
   Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
   Where His glory forever I’ll share.

The Old Rugged Cross | George Bennard

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “^[a]Cursed is everyone who hangs on a ^[b]tree”— Galatians 3:13 NASB

^[a] Deuteronomy 21:23
^[b] Or cross; lit wood

This and more Hymns can be found here.

Here is a youtube video of it being sung by one of my favorite groups from that same childhood.