Father, forgive (the Savior said)

The words

1. 1

   Stanza 1. “Father, forgive (the Savior said)They know not what they do:”His heart was moved when thus he prayedFor me, my friends, and you.

2. 2

   Stanza 2. He saw, that as the Jews abusedAnd crucified his flesh;So he, by us, would be refused,And crucified afresh.

3. 3

   Stanza 3. Through love of sin, we long were proneTo act as Satan bid;But now, with grief and shame we own,We knew not what we did.

4. 4

   Stanza 4. We knew not the desert of sin,Nor whom we thus defied;Nor where our guilty souls had been,If JESUS had not died.

5. 5

   Stanza 5. We knew not what a law we broke,How holy, just and pure!Nor what a God we durst provoke,But thought ourselves secure.

6. 6

   Stanza 6. But Jesus all our guilt foresaw,And shed his precious bloodTo satisfy the holy law,And make our peace with GOD.

7. 7

   Stanza 7. My sin, dear Savior, made thee bleed,Yet didst thou pray for me!I knew not what I did, indeed,When ignorant of thee.

Olney Hymns (1779), Book 1, Hymn 109. John Newton. Public domain. CCEL transcription with modernized spelling. www.praylock.com/olney-hymns/1-109