The Power of the Cross
One of the 94 hymns we sing together at Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church on the Gold Coast. Browse the full hymnbook.
Lyrics
Verse 1
O, to see the dawn of the darkest day
Christ on the road to Calvary
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.
This the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us.
Took the blame, bore the wrath;
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Verse 2
O, to see the pain written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Every bitter thought, every evil deed
Crowning the bloodstained brow.
This the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us.
Took the blame, bore the wrath;
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Verse 3
Now the daylight flees; now the ground
beneath
Quakes as the Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life.
“Finished!” the victory cry.
This the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us.
Took the blame, bore the wrath;
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Verse 4
O, to see my name written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love!
This the power of the cross:
Son of God slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Behind the Hymn
"The Power of the Cross" (also known as "Oh, to See the Dawn") was written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend in 2005 as a Passion hymn that walks the worshipper through the events of Good Friday with vivid, narrative detail. Getty and Townend, the same partnership that produced "In Christ Alone," wrote it to fill a gap they perceived in modern worship — a lack of substantial, singable songs focused specifically on the crucifixion. The hymn follows a chronological arc from the dawn of the darkest day in history through the mockery, scourging, and crucifixion, to the moment of Christ's death and the tearing of the temple curtain. Each verse builds emotional and theological intensity, culminating in the worshipper's personal response: "This the power of the cross: Christ became sin for us; took the blame, bore the wrath — we stand forgiven at the cross." The melody is deliberately restrained and hymn-like, allowing the gravity of the text to carry the weight. It has become one of the most widely sung Good Friday and communion hymns in churches worldwide.