How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Lyrics Page
How Deep the Father's Love for us
4,365 views
Sep 30, 2026 updated
Say the Word album
Verified editorial review
Song Meaning
Stuart Townend's 1995 hymn opens with scale rather than sentiment — "how deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure" — before naming the specific cost: "that He should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure." The line reworks John 3:16's "God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son" into first-person testimony rather than a general statement.
"My sin upon His shoulders" pulls directly from Isaiah 53:6's prophecy, "Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all," written centuries before the crucifixion it describes. "His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished" echoes Jesus's own last words on the cross, and the hymn's final verses turn from narrating that scene to refusing to add anything to it: "I will not boast in anything... but I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection."
Lyrics Verified by Editorial Team