Justification

By Grace I'm Saved

Words:
Christian L. Scheidt, 1742. Translated by Matthias Loy, (1828-1915).
Music:
'O Dass Ich Tansend Zungen' Johann Balthasar König, 1738.
Setting:
"The Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal" (Ohio Synod), 1908.
Metre:
9 8 9 8 8 8
  1. 1By grace I'm savedgrace free and boundless!My heart, believ'st thou this or not?Why tremblest thou with terror groundless?Has ever God a falsehood taught?His Word is truethen this must be:By grace there is a crown for thee.
  2. 2By grace! our works are all rejected,All claims of merit pass for naught;The mighty Savior, long expected,To us this blissful truth has brought,That He by death redeems our race,And we are saved alone by grace.
  3. 3By grace! mark well this phrase's meaning,When sin rolls sorrows o'er thy breast,When Satan threats with pride o'erweening,When troubled conscience sighs for rest:What reason ne'er can comprehendIt pleases God by grace to send.
  4. 4By grace His Son, on earth appearing,Vouchsafed beneath thy woe to bend;Hadst thou, damnation justly fearing,Done aught to render Him thy friend?Was't not that He thy welfare sought,And but by grace deliv'rance wrought?
  5. 5By grace! this ground of our salvationAs long as God is true endures:What saints have penned by inspiration,What God to our poor soul secures,What all our faith must rest upon,Is grace, free grace through His dear Son.
  6. 6By grace! but think not, thou who livestSecurely on in godless ways,That thou, though all are called, receivestThe promised rest that wakes our praise:By grace none find in heaven a placeWho live in sin in hope of grace.
  7. 7By grace! They who have heard this sentenceMust bid hypocrisy farewell;For only after deep repentanceThe soul what grace imports can tell;To sin while grace a trifle seems,To faith it bright with glory beams.
  8. 8By grace the timid hearts that languish,Find access to the Father's heart,When conflicts fierce and bitter anguishBid all their joy and hopes depart.Where, oftimes, should I strength obtain,Bid grace my anchor not remain!
  9. 9By grace! on this in death I'll rest me,Rejoicing e'en though feeling naught;I know my sin it oft oppressed meBut Him, too, who my soul hath bought:My heart exults grief flees apaceBecause my soul is saved by grace.
  10. 10By grace! O sin and Satan hear it!I bear my flag of faith in hand,And pass, in spite of doubts, nor fear it,The Red Sea to the promised land;I hold the word my Savior taughtAs certain, whether felt or not.

Scripture

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Words, music and setting are in the public domain. The score is from the Open Hymnal Project (Brian J. Dumont), which places its own work in the public domain. The piano is the FluidR3 General MIDI sound font (MIT licence). How many hymnals print a hymn, and when it was written, is from Hymnary.org.

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