420. He stood before the court

Author: Christopher Idle

He stood before the court
on trial instead of us;
he met its power to hurt,
condemned to face the cross;
our King, accused
of treachery;
our God, abused
for blasphemy!

2. These are the crimes that tell
the tale of human guilt;
our sins, our death, our hell,
on these the case is built;
to this world’s powers
their Lord stays dumb;
the guilt is ours,
no answers come.

3. The sentence must be passed,
the unknown prisoner killed;
the price is paid at last,
the law of God fulfilled;
he takes our blame,
and from that day
the accuser’s claim
is wiped away.

4. Shall we be judged and tried?
In Christ our trial is done;
we live, for he has died,
our condemnation gone;
in Christ are we
both dead and raised-
alive and free-
his name be praised!