Sovereign Grace Music - How Deep the Father's Love for Us Lyrics
Lyrics
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that put Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Video
How Deep the Father's Love for Us (Live)
Meaning & Inspiration
"How Deep the Father's Love for Us," released on January 1, 2008, as part of Sovereign Grace Music's "Together for the Gospel" album, stands as a profound testament to the core doctrines of Christian faith. This hymn, a staple in contemporary worship, eschews complex musical arrangements to instead deliver a message of astonishing theological depth, inviting individuals into a contemplative space where the immensity of divine love and human sin converge. Its enduring power lies not in fleeting sentimentality, but in its unwavering focus on the cross, making it a foundational piece for reflection on redemption and grace.
The song begins by confronting the staggering breadth of God’s affection, declaring, "How deep the Father's love for us, / How vast beyond all measure / That He should give His only Son / To make a wretch His treasure." This opening immediately establishes the central theme: an incomprehensible love that drives God to sacrifice His unique Son. It echoes the profound truth found in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son," and reinforces Romans 5:8, which states, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The transformation from "wretch"—a term acknowledging human sinfulness and unworthiness—to "treasure" underscores the radical nature of God's redemptive grace, turning those who are spiritually impoverished into cherished heirs through Christ, as Ephesians 2:4-5 beautifully describes.
The narrative then shifts to the excruciating cost of this love, expressed as "How great the pain of searing loss, / The Father turns His face away / As wounds which mar the chosen One, / Bring many sons to glory." This stanza courageously delves into the divine agony of the crucifixion, recognizing the unimaginable separation experienced between the Father and the Son, a moment famously echoed in Christ’s cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). It draws from Isaiah 53, particularly verses 3-5, which prophesy of the suffering Servant who was "pierced for our transgressions" and "crushed for our iniquities." The deliberate act of God turning His face away underscores the reality that Christ truly became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), enduring the full wrath of divine justice so that His wounds could indeed "bring many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10).
The song then transitions to a powerful personal confession, placing the individual squarely within the narrative of the cross: "Behold the Man upon a cross, / My sin upon His shoulders / Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, / Call out among the scoffers." The command "Behold the Man" directly references Pilate's declaration in John 19:5, inviting deep contemplation of Christ's suffering. The profound realization that "my sin" directly contributed to His agony is a crucial moment of conviction, aligning with Isaiah 53:6, "The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all," and 1 Peter 2:24, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross." The line about hearing one's "mocking voice" among the scoffers serves as a stark reminder of humanity's collective complicity in Christ's suffering, compelling an honest assessment of one's own fallen nature and the shame that often accompanies such recognition.
This personal conviction deepens in the subsequent lines: "It was my sin that put Him there / Until it was accomplished / His dying breath has brought me life / I know that it is finished." This forthright declaration leaves no room for evasion, solidifying the truth that human sin necessitated the cross. The mention of "it was accomplished" and "it is finished" directly quotes Jesus’s final, triumphant words from John 19:30, signaling the complete and sufficient nature of His atoning sacrifice. His death, which might seem an end, is paradoxically the source of new life for those who believe, mirroring the spiritual resurrection described in Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:13-14.
Having established the profound work of Christ, the song moves to a declaration of redirected praise: "I will not boast in anything / No gifts, no power, no wisdom / But I will boast in Jesus Christ / His death and resurrection." This verse powerfully articulates the essence of Christian humility and faith, echoing Jeremiah 9:23-24, which admonishes against boasting in human strength, wisdom, or riches, but rather in knowing God. Paul reiterates this in 1 Corinthians 1:31, stating, "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." The singular focus on Christ's "death and resurrection" identifies these twin pillars as the ultimate, unshakeable foundation of faith, the only worthy object of human boasting and adoration.
The final stanza poses a rhetorical question that magnifies the wonder of grace: "Why should I gain from His reward? / I cannot give an answer / But this I know with all my heart / His wounds have paid my ransom." This highlights the inexplicable nature of God's favor, a gift entirely unearned and unmerited, resonating with Ephesians 2:8-9: "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 concludes with the comforting and certain assurance that Christ's suffering has indeed procured liberation from sin's bondage, drawing on passages like 1 Peter 1:18-19, which speaks of being redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ," and Mark 10:45, where Jesus states His life was given as "a ransom for many."
"How Deep the Father's Love for Us" is far more than a simple hymn; it is a theological masterpiece compressed into poetic verse. It meticulously unpacks the Christian doctrine of atonement, grace, and redemption, guiding the heart from the vastness of divine love to the depths of human sin, and ultimately to the triumph of Christ's finished work. Its inclusion on the "Together for the Gospel" album solidifies its purpose: to unite believers in profound contemplation of God's saving power. This song calls us not merely to sing, but to seriously reflect on the immense personal cost of our salvation and to respond with unwavering praise and humility, forever grateful for the Father’s immeasurable love.