Featured Great Hymns and Spiritual songs about salvation by grace alone.

Not another hymn at this time, but I did some research to see if I could find the author/composer of "Only Through Grace." I posted my findings HERE. Linking in case someone might find it interesting.

 

Jesus Thou Art the Sinner's Friend
The entire hymn is about our Sin and Christ's Grace, Mercy and Faithfulness

Transcribed from my 1868 Christian Hymn Book:

Jesus, Thou art the sinner's friend;
As such I look to thee;
Now, in the fullness of thy love,*
O Lord, remember me

Remember thy pure word of grace,
Remember Calvary;
Remember all thy promises,
And then remember me.

Thou Mighty advocate with God!
I yield myself to thee;
While thou art sitting on thy throne,
O Lord, remember me!

I own I'm guilty, own I'm vile;
Yet thy salvation's free;
Then, in thy all abounding grace,
O Lord, remember me!

Howe'er forsaken or distressed,
Howe'er oppressed I be,
Howe'er afflicted here on earth,
Do thou remember me!

And when I close my eyes in death,
And creature helps all flee,
Then, O my great Redeemer, Lord,
I pray remember me!

* --The first verse is slightly different in my 1887 Goble Hymnal and also different in my 1854 Sweet Songster as follows:

Jesus, Thou art the sinner's friend;
As such I look to thee;
Now, in the bowels of thy love,*
O Lord, remember me

 

Jesus, thou art the sinner's friend is popular in Sacred Harp circles as well, with the tune PISGAH.

 

Did we already post this text? One of my favorites:

Grace, ’tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to mine ear;
Heaven with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.

Grace first contrived the way
To save rebellious man;
And all the steps that grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.

Grace first inscribed my name
In God’s eternal book;
’Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.

Grace taught my wandering feet
To tread the heavenly road,
And new supplies each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.

Grace taught my soul to pray
And made mine eyes o’erflow;
’Twas grace which kept me to this day,
And will not let me go.

Grace all the works shall crown,
Through everlasting days;
It lays in Heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise.

O let Thy grace inspire
My soul with strength divine
My all my powers to Thee aspire,
And all my days be Thine.

By Philip Doddridge, 1740, with some alterations by Augustus M. Toplady

 

The following hymn I wrote circa 1989. It is not Watts or Wesley quality poetry, but is a sincere expression of my appreciation of God’s amazing grace. The 7.8.7.8. meter pattern makes it not an easy hymn to match with a tune.

1. Oh, the love that drew me in
When I was sinking in my sin.
Oh, how sure the firm decree
Enduring all eternity.
2. Oh, the grace that called my name
As I was drowning in my shame;
Oh, how great our God must be
That He has grace for even me!
3. Oh, what mercy that God would
Bestow a look toward one no good;
Oh, beyond all grasp or thought
That I by Jesus’ blood am bought!
4. Saved by grace, Oh, wondrous sound!
How His great mercy did abound.
Saved by grace or bound for hell—
If saved by grace, then all is well.

By way of apology for posting another of my own hymns, I harness it to this older and better hymn by John Newton, “The Legion Dispossessed.” (Olney Hymns, Vol. 1, Hymn 92, Mark v. 18,19; 1779)

1. Legion was my name by nature,
Satan raged within my breast;
Never misery was greater,
Never sinner more possessed;
Mischievous to all around me,
To myself the greatest foe;
Thus I was, when Jesus found me,
Filled with madness, sin, and woe.

2. Yet in this forlorn condition,
When he came to set me free;
I replyed to my Physician,
‘What have I to do with thee?’
But he would not be prevented,
Rescued me against my will;
Had he staid till I consented,
I had been a captive still.

3. ‘Satan, though thou fain wouldst have it,
Know this soul is none of thine;
I have shed my blood to save it,
Now I challenge it for mine,
Though it long has thee resembled,
Henceforth it shall me obey.’
Thus he spoke while Satan trembled,
Gnashed his teeth, and fled away.

4. Thus my frantic soul he healed,
Bid my sins and sorrows cease;
‘Take,’ said he, ‘my pardon sealed—
I have saved thee, go in peace:’
Rather take me, Lord, to heaven,
Now thy love and grace I know;
Since thou hast my sins forgiven,
Why should I remain below?

5. ‘Love,’ he said, ‘will sweeten labors,
Thou hast something yet to do;
Go and tell your friends and neighbors,
What my love has done for you:
Live to manifest my glory,
Wait for heaven a little space;
Sinners, when they hear thy story,
Will repent, and seek my face.’

I arranged a minor tune for this hymn by Newton based on/inspired by “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand” by Jennie Wilson and F. L. Eiland – something that came to me when thinking of Newton’s hymn – because I had not seen a tune with it anywhere.

 

So do I. Great Post! Here is one of my favorites (apologies if already listed, but I didn't see it) --

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
By: Robert Robinson, 1735-1790

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

 

Come Thou Fount is not a "typical" Crowder song -- see attached -- . This version has a very Irish feel to this.

 

I think the Irish feel comes from the arrangement, which is nicely done. It is the old hymn tune NETTLETON, to which we have always sung "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" in church here. It is, barring further discovery, an American tune with an unknown composer -- first published in John Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second in 1813.

 

MennoSota's thread here gave me an idea to start one on "Great Hymns of the Cross and Jesus' Blood." I put it in the "Music Ministry" forum. Please click the link, take a look, and share songs of the cross of Christ and His blood atonement that teach the word and touch your heart.

Thanks!

 

We are NOT saved by good works but rather are saved FOR good works but only for God's glory. Anything done for our own glory is as filthy rags to God.