For Thee, For Thee by Milton C. Wilcox

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jan 19, 1905

For Thee, For Thee

By Milton C. Wilcox

MILTON C. WILCOX

*O soul, He died for thee! the Son of God Most High came down from highest throne to earth’s Profoundest depths of sin. He fierce temptation bore; For thee the midnight agonies of soul; For thee the sighs, the tears, the prayers, the groans, Unuttered oft, because in feeling, depth, Unutterably deep in love divine, For thee the mountain, pleading all the night, The watchful sleep, more weary than the full Awaking; too, the bloody sweat in dark Gethsemane, when, all alone with none Of human brotherhood to bring Him cheer, Or share His grief profound, He trod alone— Divinest love—the wine-press of God’s wrath; And, sinful soul, He did it all for thee.*

*For thee the shame, the mocking pitiless, The cruel scourge, the nail-pierced hands and feet, The thorn-crowned brow, the great heart doubly pierced, The long, slow hours of fevered, torturing pain, The awful soul-enshrouding darkness deep, In which all nature, humbled, stood abashed Before the mighty death of God’s own Son. The Light of Life went out; all earth was dark, All nature shuddered to its central heart; And God Himself did suffer with His Son.*

*’Twas all for thee, that Sin’s degraded thrall No longer thou mightest be; no longer know The fearful bondage binding soul and mind Till dark despair bore fruit in desperate deed, And Hope departed. But He died for thee, And in His blood is cleansing for thy sin, Is healing for thy heart, is balm for bruise, Is freedom from thy load of sin and guilt.*

*Christ rose for thee,for thee He broke the bands Of sin and death, triumphant Conqueror. Forever for thee He lives and reigns That thou mayst live and reign with Him for aye. O, wilt thou not turn from thy sin to Him Who lived and suffered, died and rose and lives For thee, that He may share with thee His all?*