Anne Wilson - The Cross Lyrics
Lyrics
You've been trying hard to bear
The weight of all your shame
And if there's a God up there
You're sure He forgot your name
When your steps are getting heavy
And hope looks all but lost
Just bring it all to the cross
Who told you grace can't reach
The messed up ones like you?
Has the devil made you believe
The lies he tells are true?
When you're sure that you're the one
Who's wandered too far off
It's not too late
Just come home to the cross
Come and see a Savior's love
That would die to make you new
Nothing you have ever done
Can change what mercy's done for you
And if you ever wonder
If you're worth so great a cost
Look up and see the cross
Everybody's got a list
At least a mile long
Of every scar and every sin
From everywhere that we've gone wrong
But there's reason for rejoicing
And the reason is because
That list was nailed to the cross
Come and see a Savior's love
That would die to make you new
Nothing you have ever done
Can change what mercy's done for you
What mercy's done
And if you ever wonder
If you're worth so great a cost
Look up and see the cross
Oh, the cross
He was wounded for your wounds
Pierced for all your sin
By His stripes you are healed
Died so you could rise again
He let the blood and water flow
And did it all to let you know
You're the reason that He went to the cross
Oh, He's calling you to run home to the cross
To the cross
Come and see a Savior's love
Come and see
That would die to make you new
Oh, He's made us new
Nothing you have ever done
Can change what mercy's done for you
See what mercy's done
And if you ever wonder
If you're worth so great a cost
Look up and see the cross
Oh, look up and see
Look up and see the cross
He died for you and me
Look up and see the cross
Video
Anne Wilson, Chris Tomlin - The Cross (Official Lyric Video)
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on August 16, 2024, as a single from her album *The Cross - Single*, Anne Wilson's latest offering, "The Cross," immediately resonates with a profound message of divine grace and unyielding hope. The song confronts the heavy burdens of shame and the feeling of being forgotten, drawing the listener directly to the foot of Calvary. It’s a compelling narrative for anyone grappling with their past or doubting their worth in the eyes of a holy God, offering not just solace, but a transformative invitation.
The song delves into the universal human experience of carrying the weight of personal failings and a sense of isolation from the divine. Wilson paints a vivid picture of a soul "trying hard to bear the weight of all your shame," feeling forgotten by God. This deep spiritual weariness, where "steps are getting heavy and hope looks all but lost," is precisely where the song interjects with its central, life-giving directive: "Just bring it all to the cross." This aligns perfectly with the biblical invitation found in Matthew 11:28, where Jesus Himself calls, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." The song powerfully challenges the lies that suggest grace has limits, particularly for those who feel "messed up" or have "wandered too far off." These are the insidious whispers of the adversary, as detailed in John 10:10, who seeks to "steal and kill and destroy." The truth, illuminated by Scripture in Romans 5:20, declares that "where sin increased, grace increased all the more," assuring us that it is never "too late" to return home to the cross.
At its heart, "The Cross" is an unwavering testament to a "Savior's love that would die to make you new." This love is not conditional on our past achievements or failures; it is sovereign and redemptive. The lyrics affirm that "nothing you have ever done can change what mercy's done for you," echoing the liberating truth of Ephesians 2:8-9, which states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." The song directly addresses the deep-seated question of personal worth, asking, "if you ever wonder if you're worth so great a cost, look up and see the cross." This poignant call reminds us that Christ’s sacrifice is the ultimate declaration of our immeasurable value to God, as underscored in 1 Corinthians 6:20, "you were bought at a price."
A particularly poignant section highlights the concept of our accumulated sins and scars as a "list at least a mile long." The song then delivers the glorious news that this daunting list, representing "every scar and every sin from everywhere that we've gone wrong," was "nailed to the cross." This lyrical imagery is a direct and profound reference to Colossians 2:13-14, which celebrates God’s work: "He canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." This act of divine erasure provides the ultimate "reason for rejoicing." The song continues to unpack the depth of Christ’s sacrifice, stating, "He was wounded for your wounds, pierced for all your sin, by His stripes you are healed, died so you could rise again." These lines are deeply rooted in Isaiah 53:5, a prophetic vision of the Suffering Servant: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." The mention of blood and water flowing, a direct reference to John 19:34, further solidifies the complete and sufficient nature of His sacrifice, confirming that "He did it all to let you know you're the reason that He went to the cross." This powerful declaration culminates in an urgent and loving invitation to "run home to the cross," emphasizing the immediate and available embrace of God’s redemptive love. Through every verse, Anne Wilson’s "The Cross" serves as a heartfelt and biblically rich anthem, guiding all who hear back to the source of eternal hope and unfailing mercy.