Lyrics
Chorus Choir
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
And I'm so glad, at Calvary he showed me how much so, repeat
Repeat chorus choir 2
Lead
Now rally the one would die for the righteous , Oh Lord a for a good man you would defend. ( thank you Lord) But God proved his love, he proved his love for us Oh yes he did, when he died when I was yet in my sin ( Hallelujah)
He was wounded wounded for my transgressions thank you Lord Jesus
He was bruised bruised for my inequities,
Not because, not because I've been so good or righteous. no,no,no,no
But because he loves you, he loves you and need------------I can stand before you and say yes, yes, yes,
Repeat chorus choir
(ADLIB)-LEAD
You need to tell Jesus thank you, He gave his life, he showed me how much so
At Calvary
Repeat Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Calvary, Calvary
Chorus 2
They hung him high, (Calvary) They stretch him wide, (Calvary) He hung his head, (Calvary) For me he died, (Calvary) it was on a hill, (Calvary) far away, (Calvary) on that old (Calvary) rugged cross. (Calvary) He would not (Calvary) come down from the cross(Calvary) just to save himself, (Calvary) He loved us, (Calvary) thank you Lord, (Calvary) thank you Lord (Calvary), you outta tell him thank ya, (Calvary) you outta tell him thank ya, (Calvary) They whip my Jesus(Calvary) all night long, (Calvary) he hung his head, (Calvary) Hallelujah, At Calvary he showed me how much so, he loved me, he loved me, at Calvary he showed me how much so Thank you, Jesus, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus, At Calvary he showed me how much so, he loved me, he loved me
They hung him high, , (Calvary) They stretch him wide, , (Calvary) He hung his head, , (Calvary) For me he died, , (Calvary) it was on a hill, , (Calvary) far away, , (Calvary) on that old , (Calvary) rugged cross. At Calvary he showed me how much so, he loved me, he loved me, at Calvary he showed me how much so
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
The song centers on Christ’s sacrificial death at Calvary as the clearest display of divine love. Its recurring confession, “Jesus loves me,” is answered by images of the cross: Christ wounded, bruised, stretched upon the cross, and refusing to save himself. The lead and choir pattern gives the lyric the character of testimony and congregational response, moving from gratitude into repeated praise.
The verses echo several specific biblical teachings. Romans 5:7-8 contrasts the rarity of dying for a righteous person with God’s love shown while sinners were still estranged from him. Isaiah 53:5 describes the servant as wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, language quoted closely in the song. The Calvary scenes also recall the crucifixion accounts, where Jesus endured the cross rather than coming down from it. Although the wording is highly repetitive and improvisational, its message remains focused: salvation is attributed not to personal goodness but to Christ’s love and atoning death. Gratitude is therefore the song’s central response to the cross.
Related Scripture
- Romans 5:7-8 God demonstrates his love through Christ’s death for sinners.
- Isaiah 53:5 The servant is wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities.
- Matthew 27:40-42 At the crucifixion, Jesus is challenged to come down from the cross.