Amazing Grace

Introduction

When we discuss songs about grace, that collection has to include the hymn Amazing Grace. This is a very powerful song that has been used in a wide variety of places and ways. Indeed, there’s a perspective that it has been overused. Certainly, it is one of the most well-known hymns and one which has been used in some very political ways.

The Wikipedia article on Amazing Grace is quite extensive, and there is some additional information on the Library of Congress (LOC) page on Amazing Grace. The LOC page links to a wide range of recordings and other media about the hymn. There are countless Internet web pages on this hymn, and several books.

I think the history is pretty well established, and I’ll use the Wikipedia article as the basis for our discussion today.

This is a short post today. As we discuss this tomorrow, there are a wide range of places we can go and things to discover.

Lyrics

One version of the lyrics is below, including both the original verses by John Newton and a commonly used additional vers that was first printed as a part of this hymn by Harriet Beecher Stowe in Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1852. There are certainly many verses that have been added to this song, but we’ll focus on the ones listed below.

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Additional African-American tradition verse, as published by Stowe:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
Than when we first begun.