HYMNS AND THEIR STORIES – 16 “Man of Sorrows, what a Name!” Author and Composer: Philip P. Bliss (9 July 1838 – 29 December 1876) Tune: Man of Sorrows. Meter: 7.7.7.8.
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hilip Paul Bliss was a composer, a conductor, a bass-baritone Gospel singer and a writer of many well-known hymns, including: “Almost Persuaded” “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning” “Wonderful Words of Life” “Hold the fort, for I am coming” “Dare to be a Daniel” “Hallelujah! ‘Tis done” “Once for all” “Whosoever will” “Jesus loves even me” “Peace, peace, sweet peace” “With harps and with viols” “I will sing of my Redeemer” He also wrote the tune for the great hymn written by Horatio Spafford, “It Is Well with My Soul,” and he composed the music for Francis Havergal’s hymn, “I gave My life for thee.”
1. “Man of sorrows,” what a Name For the Son of God who came, Ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah! What a Saviour! 2. Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood; Sealed my pardon with His blood; Hallelujah! What a Saviour! 3. Guilty, vile and helpless we, Spotless Lamb of God was He; “Full atonement,” can it be? Hallelujah! What a Saviour! 4. Lifted up was He to die, “It is finished,” was His cry; Now in heaven exalted high, Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
His early work consisted of singing and teaching, and later he worked with Dwight L. Moody and soon was persuaded 5. When He comes, our glorious King, to be a missionary singer. In 1874, Bliss decided he was All His ransomed home to bring; called to the task of “winning souls”. So he became a fullThan anew this song we’ll sing, time evangelist. None of his songs were ever copyrighted, Hallelujah! What a Saviour! but he earned significant amounts of money from royalties. The income helped to support his evangelical work, and the rest he gave to charity. He had two sons, George and Philip Paul, aged four and one respectively, when tragedy struck. On 29 December 1876, the Pacific Express train on which Bliss and his wife were traveling crossed a trestle bridge, which collapsed, all the carriages fell into the ravine below. Bliss escaped from the wreck, but the carriages caught fire and Bliss returned to try to extricate his wife. No trace of either body was discovered. Ninety-two of the 159 passengers died in what became known as the Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster. Found in his trunk, which somehow survived the crash and fire, was a Gospel song written by Bliss. Later James McGranahan wrote music for, “I Will Sing of My Redeemer.” A monument to Bliss was erected in Rome, Pennsylvania. This hymn, “Man of Sorrows” is also known by the repeated final line of each verse, “Hallelujah! What a Saviour!” Philip Bliss writes about Jesus the “Spotless Lamb of God,” the suffering Servant who surrendered to crucifixion, bearing our sins, so that might be forgiven. Verses one and thee define the contrast between the sinless purity of Jesus Christ and the fallen nature of the human race. Without Christ, we are “ruined sinners,” “Guilty, vile and helpless,” but the “Spotless Lamb of God” came to earth “sinners to reclaim” as “In my place condemned He stood,” thereby providing “full atonement” for all our sinfulness. Then Bliss continues with stanza four, which takes us beyond the triumph of the cross, when Jesus cried aloud, “It is finished!” After which He rose from the dead and gloriously ascended so that He is, “Now in heaven exalted high.” But the Gospel story does not end here, and the final fifth verse covers Christ’s return, “When He come, our glorious King.”
Considering all that the Lord Jesus was, and all that He did, perhaps the only exclamation, and the only acclamation of praise, can be “Hallelujah! What a Saviour!”
Anthony K. Chamberlain
