On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suff’ring and shame, And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best For a world of lost sinners was slain.
G
On a hill far away stood an
C
old rugged cross,
The
D
emblem of
D7
suff'ring and
G-D7
shame,
And I
G
love that old cross where the
C
Dearest and Best
For a
D
world of lost
D7
sinners was
G
slain.
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
G
So I'll
D
cherish the old rugged
G
cross,
Till my
C
trophies at last I lay
G
down;
I will cling to the old rugged
C
cross,
And ex
G
change it some
D7
day for a
G
crown.
2
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me; For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above, To bear it to dark Calvary.
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary.
G
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised
C
by the world,
Has
D
a wondrous
D7
attraction
G-D7
for me;
For the
G
dear Lamb of God left His
C
glory above,
To bear
D
it to dark
D7
Calvary.
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
G
So I'll
D
cherish the old rugged
G
cross,
Till my
C
trophies at last I lay
G
down;
I will cling to the old rugged
C
cross,
And ex
G
change it some
D7
day for a
G
crown.
3
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see; For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me.
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
G
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood
C
so divine,
A
D
wondrous
D7
beauty I
G-D7
see;
For 'twas
G
on that old cross Jesus
C
suffered and died,
To
D
pardon and
D7
sanctify me.
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
I love and will cling to the Christ of the cross. I do not worship a relic and surely appreciate the cross, but it's my Savior and Lord who I cherish and to whom I will cling.
This song reminds me of the wonders of the cross and the need for me to continue to cling to the cross. Oh I love the old rugged cross where my foe was defeated permanently, victory was won finally and eternally. This same goes for everyone who believes.
I grew up in the small village of Pokagon, Michigan, where "The Old Rugged Cross", was first sung, by a choir of 5 and accompanied by a guitar, on June 7, 1913. (Wikipedia). The 1st Saturday of each month (in the Summer) people still gather, at the original church, and sing the hymns of old. As we approach the 100th year anniversary of the greatest gospel song ever written, the same common people, will gather to sing this beloved hymn.
The words and music are so real. It should be more frequently played for the salvation of man. These are days of trial for everyone. Such inspirational music is needed more.