Lyrics
Verse 1
There was One Who was willing to die in my stead,
That a soul so unworthy might live;
And the path to the cross He was willing to tread,
All the sins of my life to forgive.
Refrain
They are nailed to the cross!
They are nailed to the cross!
Oh, how much He was willing to bear!
With what anguish and loss Jesus went to the cross,
But He carried my sins with Him there.
Verse 2
He is tender and loving and patient with me,
While He cleanses my heart of the dross;
But "there's no condemnation"—I know I am free,
For my sins are all nailed to the cross.
Refrain (Repeat)
Verse 3
I will cling to my Savior and never depart,
I will joyfully journey each day,
With a song on my lips and a song in my heart,
That my sins have been taken away.
Refrain (Repeat)
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"Nailed to the Cross" describes substitutionary sacrifice directly, naming Christ as the one willing to die in the singer's place so that an unworthy soul might live. Its opening verse ties that willingness explicitly to forgiveness, framing the crucifixion as a deliberate path taken rather than an unfortunate event merely endured.
The refrain repeats a central image, sins nailed to the cross alongside Christ himself, picturing forgiveness as something visibly fastened and left behind rather than only conceptually removed. A quoted phrase, "there's no condemnation," ties that image directly to a specific New Testament assurance, grounding personal freedom in stated doctrine rather than only felt relief.
The closing verse shifts from confession to commitment, promising continued closeness to Christ and describing that assurance as producing daily joy rather than a one-time emotional response. Written in classic hymn form for vocal ensemble performance, the song functions as testimony of forgiveness received, returning repeatedly to the same visual anchor of sin left nailed to the cross.
Related Scripture
- Colossians 2:14 Describes the record of debt against believers being nailed to the cross, the image directly echoed in the hymn's refrain.
- Romans 8:1 States that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, the phrase directly quoted in the hymn's second verse.