Amazing Grace, Revisited

Amazing Grace, Revisited

The first hymn I ever wrote about was Amazing Grace and the story of how a former slave trader gave his life to Christ to became a minister. Why is that song so meaningful to so many people?

Since being written in 1779, it has become the most popular and beloved hymn of all time. The song isn’t about doctrine, theology, or even the church. It’s popular because it’s about you and me—it’s about every person’s quest for God.

Amazing Grace is the story of a man who recognized his own depravity and turned to God for help. In his journey to faith, we see ourselves and our own moment of truth with God. The hymn takes our hearts and puts us on our knees in awe and wonder. Our own wretchedness is laid bare, by the cleansing grace of a God who loves and cares for us, in spite of ourselves.

The lilting melody carries the emotions of the listener to heights of great joy and depths of deep sorrow. Somehow, it manages to be just as beautiful when played on a bagpipe or a banjo as it is on a harp or a piano.

Amazing Grace has reshaped the world. It inspired William Wilberforce in his fight to end the slave trade. It was instrumental in bringing about the Second Great Awakening, and it has strengthened the sermons of the world’s greatest evangelists for almost 250 years.

The song was distributed to soldiers who were comforted by it during the Civil War—and in every war since. It was sung by the Cherokee Nation as they walked the Trail of Tears.

Amazing Grace is loved by young and old, churched and unchurched, educated and simple, wealthy and poor, powerful and weak—by people of every race, color in every place.

Amazing Grace is the church’s song. It tells the story of every one of us—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

AMAZING GRACE

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved 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 relieved;

How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.