Beautiful, Soothing Guitar Instrumental of ‘Old Rugged Cross’

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171 Jan 08, 2026 02:10

This is one beautiful and soothing guitar instrumental of “Old Rugged Cross.” It’s a lovely, moving performance of a tune near and dear to the hearts of many, which deserves to be heard multiple times. Watch the short yet powerful clip to listen to this talented musician play “Old Rugged Cross” on the guitar.

Musicians continually seek new and inventive ways to produce beautiful sounds. Will this work if I play it that way? How will it sound if I play this note at this moment? They want to push themselves and see what they are capable of doing with their God-given talent. Who wouldn’t want to know what they can do? That ought to be something we should all be doing regularly.

One way musicians can test themselves and see how far they’ve come and how far they still have to go is by playing covers. It gives them a standard to shoot for, something to hold themselves to. Will they be able to play a song the way it was meant to be played? Will anyone else recognize the tune they are playing?

In a clip posted on YouTube, one musician played a familiar favorite and did so in a way that we don’t often hear. With guitar in hand, he played the beloved church hymn, “Old Rugged Cross.”
It’s a stunning and moving display of musical talent. Even though he does not sing any of those familiar lyrics, what he is playing is unmistakably “Old Rugged Cross.” Anyone who has spent any amount of time in church will quickly recognize the tune, likely within the first couple of notes.

Additionally, the fact that he does not sing any of the words does not detract from the performance in the slightest. One could argue that it adds to the musical display, making it even more special. Most people, when they hear him play, will probably hear those lyrics in their head as he plays anyway.

Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”