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AMAZING GRACE

Words

1 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.

2 ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.

3 Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come.
‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me;
his word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

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

6 The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
the sun forbear to shine,
but God, who called me here below,
will be for ever mine.

7 When we’ve been there a thousand years
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
than when we first begun.

Background Information

The story behind this hymn is fairly well known - it was written by John Newton (1725 - 1807) who was captain of an African slave ship. Some say that Newton had a dramatic conversion experience when he escaped from a storm at sea, others think he experienced a more gradual change of heart. Newton applied for ordination by the Church of England, but was at first rejected because he was self-taught (including Latin!) rather than university educated. However, eventually his persistence was awarded.

Like many hymns of its era, there are more verses than usually appear in hymn books. Amazing Grace is a popular hymn for funerals and its seems strange that verse 5 isn’t usually included in hymn book texts. The absence of verse 6 isn’t perhaps so surprising! The 7th verse is anonymous, or may have been written by John Rees (1828 - 1900).

Amazing Grace is not only popular as a hymn, it is also popular as a song, and has been sung and recorded by countless artists over the years. Perhaps it’s one of the few hymns to have been on Top of the Pops!

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