Biblical Connections

Verse 1

• “Why did my Savior come to earth ... Why did He choose a lowly birth?” - Php 2:5-7
• “And to the humble go?” - Luke 1:26-56; 2:8-20; 14:7-11; 18:9-14; Matt 18:14

Verse 2

• “Why did He drink the bitter cup Of sorrow, pain, and woe?” - Mt 20:22; 26:38-39
• “Why on the cross be lifted up?” - John 3:14-15; 8:28; 12:32

Verse 3

• “And now He bids me look and live” - Num 21:8; John 3:14-15

Verse 4

• “And reign with Him through endless days” - Dan 7:18; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 22:5

Chorus

• “He loved me so.” - Gal 2:20; Eph 5:2; Rom 8:37; 1 John 3:16; Rev 1:5

Compared to Hymnals

We Include All Four Original Stanzas

This hymn was originally written in four stanzas, though many hymnals omit vs 3. We have included it because it continues and completes the idea of Jesus being “lifted up” which is mentioned in vs 2:

• In vs 2, we sing “Why on the cross be lifted up,” calling to mind what Jesus said in John 3:14-15:

  “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

• In vs 3, we sing “And now He bids me look and live,” calling to mind what Jesus referred to in Numbers 21:8:

  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.”

Just as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent and lived, so when we look to the crucified Christ we find life.

We Use the Original Wording "reign with Him"

In vs 4, some hymnals have altered “reign with Him through endless days” to “live with Him through endless days.” We have retained the original wording of “reign,” as it calls to mind 2 Tim 2:12 and Rev 22:5.

	No.	Words	Music
Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs	241	Lacks vs 3	Alto sings LA instead of SOL in mm. 1, 5 (“come”, “low-”), making a vi chord instead of I; Alto sings LA instead of DO in m. 3 (“to the”); Alto sings TI instead of SOL in m. 9 (“me”); Alto sings SOL instead of DO in m. 12 (second half of chorus, “He”); Alto sings DO instead of SOL in m. 13 (“life”); Tenor sings DO RE instead of SOL FA in m. 12 (second half of chorus, “He”); Tenor sings SOL SOL SOL SOL instead of SOL FA MI FA in m. 13 (“precious life for me”)
Songs for Worship and Praise	330	Lacks vs 3	Alto sings DO RE DO instead of DO DO DO in mm. 1, 5, 13 (“did my Sav-”, “did He choose”, “gave His pre-”); Bass sings SOL FA RE instead of SOL MI RE at end of m. 13 (“-cious life for”), forming an unusual chord (possibly a typo?)
Songs of Faith and Praise	382	Lacks vs 3	Bass sings DO MI MI instead of DO RE MI at m. 14 (“me, for me”), forming an unusual chord (possibly a typo?)
Praise for the Lord	784	Lacks vs 3	Identical
Hymns for Worship (Revised)	166	Lacks vs 3; Has “And live with Him” instead of “And reign with Him” in vs 4	Alto sings LA instead of SOL in mm. 1, 5 (“come”, “low-”), making a vi chord instead of I; Alto sings LA instead of DO in m. 3 (“to the”); Alto sings TI instead of SOL in m. 9 (“me”); Alto sings SOL instead of DO in m. 12 (second half of chorus, “He”); Alto sings DO instead of SOL in m. 13 (“life”); Tenor sings DO RE instead of SOL FA in m. 12 (second half of chorus, “He”); Tenor sings SOL SOL SOL SOL instead of SOL FA MI FA in m. 13 (“precious life for me”)
Songs of the Church	720	Lacks vs 3	Identical
Sacred Selections	301	Lacks vs 3; Has “And live with Him” instead of “And reign with Him” in vs 4	Alto sings LA instead of SOL in mm. 1, 5 (“come”, “low-”), making a vi chord instead of I; Alto sings LA instead of DO in m. 3 (“to the”); Alto sings TI instead of SOL in m. 9 (“me”); Alto sings SOL instead of DO in m. 12 (second half of chorus, “He”); Alto sings DO instead of SOL in m. 13 (“life”); Tenor sings DO RE instead of SOL FA in m. 12 (second half of chorus, “He”); Tenor sings SOL SOL SOL SOL instead of SOL FA MI FA in m. 13 (“precious life for me”)
Christian Hymns No. 2	34	Lacks vs 3; Has “And live with Him” instead of “And reign with Him” in vs 4	Alto sings DO RE DO instead of DO DO DO in mm. 1, 5, 13 (“did my Sav-”, “did He choose”, “gave His pre-”)
Great Songs of the Church No. 2	312	Lacks vs 3	Identical

References

• Hymn page at hymnary.org:
  https://hymnary.org/text/why_did_my_savior_come_to_earth