Jesus Paid It All

Jesus Paid It All

As a church organist, John Grape was totally involved in his church. When he learned that his pastor wanted to put together a collection of hymns, John set out to write his own hymn for the publication.

He took his finished product to his pastor but the result was not quite up to par. The pastor found some merit in the music but he set it aside.

A few weeks later, that same Pastor, George Schrick, was preaching on a hot Sunday morning in the summer of 1865. Sitting behind him, in her chair in the choir, was Elvina Hall. Her mind began to drift away from the sermon.

A poem started to form in her mind. She had nothing to write on, so she took her fly-leaf hymnal and began to write on the back cover. She thought of Christ on the cross paying the price for her sins. She wrote about changed hearts and cleansed souls and Christ’s completed work of redemption.

After the service, she approached Reverend Schrick and apologized for her daydreaming, but she offered her poem to brighten his day.

Reverend Schrick enjoyed what he read, then something struck him about the poem. He hurried to his office and found his copy of John Grapes’ hymn. Just as he thought, Grapes’ music and Mrs. Hall’s lyrics were an ideal match! He added a chorus and the song was complete. Thus was born the great hymn, “Jesus Paid It All.”

It has since become a church staple for communion and revivals and it has been included in over 700 hymnals. Here are the words written by Elvina Hall on that Baltimore Sunday morning.

JESUS PAID IT ALL

1. I hear the Saviour say,

Thy strength indeed is small,

Child of weakness, watch and pray,

Find in Me thine all in all.

Refrain:

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain:

He washed it white as snow.

2. Lord, now indeed I find

Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,

Can change the leper’s spots,

And melt the heart of stone. (Refrain)

3. For nothing good have I

Whereby Thy grace to claim—

I’ll wash my garment white

In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb. (Refrain)

4. When from my dying bed

My ransomed soul shall rise,

Then “Jesus paid it all”

Shall rend the vaulted skies. (Refrain)

5. And when before the throne

I stand in Him complete,

I’ll lay my trophies down,

All down at Jesus’ feet. (Refrain)