Father, Forgive, the Savior Said

Father forgive them by John Newton


 * “Father, forgive,” the Savior said
 * “They know not what they do”;
 * His heart was moved when thus He prayed
 * For me, my friends, and you.


 * He saw, that as the Jews abused
 * And crucified His flesh,
 * So He, by us, would be refused,
 * And crucified afresh.


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


 * We knew not the desert of sin,
 * Nor Whom we thus defied;
 * Nor where our guilty souls had been,
 * If Jesus had not died.


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


 * But Jesus all our guilt foresaw,
 * And shed His precious blood
 * To satisfy the holy law,
 * And make our peace with God.


 * My sin, dear Savior, made Thee bleed,
 * Yet didst Thou pray for me!
 * I knew not what I did, indeed,
 * When ignorant of Thee.