When I See the Blood – A hymn by John G. Foote
“When I See the Blood” is a hymn about the Lord Jesus Christ and Passover we sang last week. This is a good hymn for the Easter season.
When I See the Blood
Words & Music by John G. Foote
1. Christ our Redeemer died on the cross,
Died for the sinner, paid all his due;
Sprinkle your soul with the blood of the Lamb,
And He will pass, will pass over you.
Refrain:
When I see the blood,
When I see the blood,
When I see the blood,
I will pass, I will pass over you.
2. Chiefest of sinners, Jesus will save;
As He has promised, that He will do;
Wash in the fountain opened for sin,
And He will pass, will pass over you.
Refrain
3. Judgment is coming, all will be there,
Each one receiving justly his due;
Hide in the saving sin-cleasing blood,
And He will pass, will pass over you.
Refrain
4. Oh, great compassion! Oh, boundless love!
Oh, loving kindness, faithful and true!
Find peace and shelter under the blood,
And He will pass, will pass over you.
Refrain
Analysis
This hymn was written by the evangelist John G. Foote. It gives a strong evangelistic message about the work of Christ’s death using biblical imagery. I will touch on a key image from each verse. See if you can find other imagery.
Verse one uses the language of sprinkling of blood on the heart. This brings to mind the language of the pass over where the blood was sprinkled on the door so that the angel of death would passover. “Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.” (Hebrews 12:28)
Verse two says, “Wash in the fountain open for sin” seems to be referring to Zechariah 13:1, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”
Verse three “Hide it in the savings sin-cleansing blood” seems to be referring to “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3) Of course, all these biblical references are often referring to other previous passages in the Bible.
Verse four speaks of “loving kindness” and “faithful and true.” This seems to refer to the Hebrew phrase “Hesed and Emet” (חסד ואמת). “Hesed” can mean loving kindness, and “Emet” can meaneither faithful or true. Here the author uses both meanings.
The repeated chorus is a quote from Exodus 12:13, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” This passage is a reference to the Passover, and Christ is our Passover (I Corinthians 5:7).