You know how certain songs just wrap around your heart like a comforting blanket? “The Old Rugged Cross” does that for me every single time. I was listening to it the other day, and it struck me how a hymn written over a century ago can still feel so incredibly personal and relevant.
The first time I heard it was in a small country church with my family. The simplicity of the melody coupled with such profound lyrics created this atmosphere where you could almost feel everyone’s hearts beating in unison. It’s one of those moments that sticks with you, you know?
What really gets me about this song is how it speaks to themes of sacrifice, love, and hope in such an honest way. George Bennard penned it back in 1912, but the emotions it conveys are timeless. I mean, isn’t it wild how music can transcend time like that?
Over the years, so many artists have put their own spin on it—from Johnny Cash to Alan Jackson—and each version brings out a different shade of its message. But no matter who sings it, that core feeling remains the same. It’s like a thread that connects so many people across different walks of life.
Sometimes when things get tough or the world feels a bit too heavy, I find myself coming back to “The Old Rugged Cross.” It’s like catching up with an old friend who just gets you. Have you ever had a song do that for you?
Video
Lyrics
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
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 some day for a crown
O 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
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 some day for a crown
And exchange it some day for a crown