Chris Tomlin - Precious Love Lyrics
Lyrics
There is forgiveness flowing down
From where the savior died
The son of man upon the tree
Exchanging death for life
See Him there in innocence
The body and the blood
Behold the King, crucified
Spotless lamb of God
Oh the precious love of Jesus
Oh the fount of grace divine
Flowing as a mighty river
Washing sinners in its tide
There will never be another
In whose name we are redeemed
Oh the precious love of Jesus
Pouring out for you and me
Sin and death crushed underneath
The weight of nailed pierced hands
He plundered hell and tore the veil
As creation held its breath
Then on the morning of the third
The Son began to rise
Up from the grave, victorious
Hallelujah, He’s alive
He is worthy
He is worthy
Worthy is the Lamb
Sing forever
Hallelujah
Worthy is the Lamb
Music video by Chris Tomlin performing Precious Love (Lyric Video). Sparrow Records; © 2022
Video
Chris Tomlin - Precious Love (Live From Good Friday, Nashville, TN, 2023)
Meaning & Inspiration
Chris Tomlin's "Precious Love," released on September 9, 2022, as a foundational track on his album *Always*, immediately invites a deep reflection on the core tenets of Christian faith: the atoning sacrifice, the boundless grace, and the triumphant resurrection of Jesus Christ. The song is not merely a collection of verses; it is a profound theological declaration, unfolding the narrative of salvation with a reverent focus on the person and work of the Savior. Its purpose is to guide worshippers into an intimate understanding and adoration of the divine love poured out through Christ, emphasizing the transformative power of His sacrifice.
The song’s journey begins at the foot of the cross, declaring, "There is forgiveness flowing down from where the savior died." This imagery powerfully evokes the substitutionary atonement where Jesus, "the son of man upon the tree," willingly offered His life, "exchanging death for life." This opening immediately brings to mind scriptures like Romans 5:8, which states, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us," and 2 Corinthians 5:21, reminding us that "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." The lyrics underscore Christ's unwavering purity, as we "See Him there in innocence, the body and the blood," a vivid portrayal of His blamelessness. He is "Behold the King, crucified, spotless lamb of God," a direct reference to His sacrificial role prophesied in Isaiah 53 and fulfilled in John 1:29, where John the Baptist proclaims, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" This spotless nature was essential for His sacrifice to be effective, as highlighted in 1 Peter 1:18-19, confirming redemption not with perishable things but "with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot."
The heart of the song pulses with the chorus: "Oh the precious love of Jesus, oh the fount of grace divine." Here, the abstract concept of God's love is made tangible, depicted as a "mighty river, washing sinners in its tide." This echoes Ephesians 2:4-5, which speaks of God, "being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ." The exclusivity of this salvation is powerfully asserted: "There will never be another in whose name we are redeemed." This direct assertion aligns with Acts 4:12, declaring, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mankind by which we must be saved." This precious love is not distant but intimate, "Pouring out for you and me," emphasizing its personal and universally accessible nature.
Moving beyond the crucifixion, the song then celebrates Christ’s triumph over sin and death. It describes "Sin and death crushed underneath the weight of nailed pierced hands," a testament to the decisive victory won on the cross. Colossians 2:14-15 captures this perfectly, stating that Jesus "canceled the record of debt that stood against us... nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." The bold declaration that "He plundered hell and tore the veil" speaks to Christ's descent into Hades and His breaking down of barriers between humanity and God, illustrated by the temple curtain tearing at His death (Matthew 27:51) and explained in Hebrews 10:19-20, which assures believers of "confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh." This moment was so monumental that "creation held its breath."
The narrative culminates in the resurrection, the cornerstone of Christian hope: "Then on the morning of the third, the Son began to rise." This pivotal event, "Up from the grave, victorious," transforms sorrow into joy, epitomized by the jubilant shout, "Hallelujah, He’s alive!" This is the undeniable truth articulated in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, that Christ "died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." His resurrection is the ultimate proof of His divinity and the power of His victory, as Romans 1:4 proclaims He was "declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead." The song concludes with an enduring declaration of His worthiness: "He is worthy, He is worthy, Worthy is the Lamb." This echoes the heavenly worship described in Revelation 5:12, where countless voices proclaim, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" The command to "Sing forever, Hallelujah, Worthy is the Lamb" serves as an eternal call to praise, inviting all to join in the unending adoration of the Savior. "Precious Love" therefore stands as a powerful, theologically rich anthem, consistently drawing the soul back to the central, life-giving truth of Christ's unparalleled love and ultimate triumph.