The Look

Posted on May 12, 2013 
Filed under Resources

John Newton's Looking at The Cross“For years, I heard C.J. Mahaney reference a John Newton hymn that began with the lines, ‘In evil long I took delight.’

Newton imagines the Savior looking down at him twice from the cross. The first look communicates our guilt and responsibility for the death of Christ. The second look assures us that this sacrifice forever secures our forgiveness before God.”

– Bob Kauflin writes about “The Look” (it’s been out for a while on Sovereign Grace Music’s “Songs for the Cross Centered Life”) – and also provides a free download.

And – much thanks to Marylynn Rouse of The John Newton Project – here is the original hymn in Newton’s own handwriting (Hymn number 309). She suspects Newton was strongly affected by hearing George Whitefield preach on “the look” of Jesus towards Peter – Newton uses it several times in Olney Hymns. She confirms, from his diary, that Newton wrote the hymn for Sunday 5 April 1778.