MY LORD WAS EMPTIED
(Text by Chad Phelps and Chris Anderson; Tune by Greg Habegger)
My Savior stooped to come to earth in great humility.
Though one with God, He took the form of frail humanity.
He did God’s will in life and death—in death upon a cross!
In stunning grace He took my sin and suffered boundless loss.
Verse 1 Refrain:
For He was emptied, my Lord was emptied,
To rescue me from sin.
Jesus was emptied, of glory emptied,
To fill the souls of men.
Now to the cross I bring my sin and see His battered frame,
For there my Lord was crushed by men and God to bear my blame.
My heart is stirred; my tears are loosed; my guilt is felt anew;
Yet Jesus seems to turn and say, “I did this all for you.”
Verse 2 Refrain:
For He was emptied, my Lord was emptied,
To rescue me from sin.
Jesus was emptied, of glory emptied,
To fill the souls of men.
My Savior rose up from the earth in glorious victory.
Exalted high, He ever lives to intercede for me.
Until one day in heav’n I stoop with neither sin nor shame,
And every tongue, including mine, shall praise His matchless name!
Verse 3 Refrain:
For He is honored, my Lord is honored—
Who rescued me from sin.
Jesus is honored, with glory honored,
By God and soon by men.
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DOCTRINAL NOTES
(by Chris Anderson)
Because God delights in worship that is biblical, thoughtful and passionate—what we often call intentional—please consider the following overview of the biblical texts and doctrinal themes behind the hymn “My Lord Was Emptied”:
“My Lord Was Emptied” is a meditation on Christ’s humiliation and exaltation in Philippians 2. The Scriptures speak of Christ “emptying Himself” by taking on humanity. The humility of the incarnation culminated in the crucifixion. But God has responded to His Son’s perfect obedience by exalting Him—through the resurrection and ascension, and one day by Jesus’ dominion over all things, at which time every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. We long for that day, when men will honor Jesus as His Father already has.
About half of the words of this hymn were written by Chad Phelps, prior to the accident which took him, his wife, and their unborn son to the presence of the Lord. Chad’s brother Caleb commissioned Chris Anderson to adapt and complete the text, which Greg Habegger set to music. Caleb introduced the hymn at his wedding as a surprise to his family. Even where words were altered, most of the ideas are Chad’s. It is our prayer that this song will be a reminder of Chad’s legacy of faithful ministry by pointing those who sing it to Jesus Christ, Chad’s Lord.
