Poems and Songs of Vladimir Vysotsky. There Was Once a Man.
Commentary to the song “Thank Thee, O Good Lord, for Thy grace...”
This song calls to mind the words about the awaited messenger from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (chapter 53, verses 1 ‒ 5): “Who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
The song was performed in the film “Vertical” (1967).