Sovereign Grace

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Description

Praise God for His sovereign grace! John Kent, the hymn writer from the late 18th century, draws our attention to several things that God's sovereign grace accomplishes. First, he explains that it is the delivery method for God's limitless love. He draws from Ephesiams 3:18 when he speaks of the breadth and length of God's sovereign love that no man can know. Second, sovereign grace binds us to Christ by everlasting chains (bands) so that no one can snatch us from His hand (John 10:28). Third, God's grace gave us status as joint heirs with Jesus even before we were born (Eph 1:3-14). Fourth, sovereign grace fills us with the question "why, O Lord, such love to me?" We are given no other answer as to why God chose us to be saved other than the "kind intention of His will" (Eph 1:5). The song helps us to properly respond to this love by answering simply "hallelujah" - Praise the Lord! The chorus was added to the historic lyrics to summarize what the song is teaching us about God's grace and add a plea for God to pour it out even more abundantly in our lives so that we will passionately worship Him.

Lyrics

             (Show Original Wordings)
Sovereign grace o'er sin abounding,
Waves of love in power swell;
'Tis a deep that knows no sounding,
Who its breadth or length can tell?
On its glories, on its glories
Let my soul forever dwell.

Chorus:
Sovereign grace,
It reaches the depths of my sin
And kindles a fire within.
Lord, shed it anew
And fix all my passions on You
By sovereign grace.

What from Christ my soul can sever,
Bound by everlasting bands?
Once in Him, in Him forever
The eternal cov'nant stands;
None can pluck me, none can pluck me
From the Father's mighty hands.

Heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus,
Long ago this gift was won;
To His name eternal praises!
Oh! what wonders He has done!
One with Jesus, one with Jesus,
By eternal union one.

On such love I'll ever ponder,
Love so great, so rich, so free;
Ever asking, lost in wonder,
Why, O Lord, such love to me?
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Grace will reign eternally.

Words by John Kent (1766-1843) and David Ward. Music by David L. Ward.
© 2004 ThousandTongues.org, admin by Thousand Tongues

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Comments

A very good website. Rich and Good Gospel Music with wordings. Useful for church choirs and laity.

Thank you.
» Jane on January 4th, 2007

Is there any way to get sheet music or a lead sheet for this song?

Thank you so much for your ministry!
» Kara on August 22nd, 2007

Kara,

I have added a leadsheet. I pray that the Lord might use this song to spread a passion and appreciation for His sovereign grace in your life and the lives of any whom you might sing this with!
» David on September 13th, 2007

Thanks for making these available.
» Wayne on March 29th, 2008

Than you Lord for your sovereign grace, that you have chosen me before the foundation of the world, before I had done anything good or bad! I love the Gospel of grace, because the God of the Bible is the most amazing God there is!

Thank you so much for this website. I have held to the doctrines of grace for 2-3 years now and have only once in my life heard them talked about openly in a public Christian meeting. I feel like I am thirsty and parched for the whole counsel of God, for sovereign grace to be preached, to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

I have wanted good reformed songs for so long, now that I have found this site I am so overcome with joy, thank you Lord! Even today I have hated Him in so many of my actions, and it's just unbelievable that He would love me.

I love you Father. Thank you David for this site.
» Manuel Kuhs on July 4th, 2008

Manuel,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the song and what we're trying to do at Reformed Praise. I share your gratitude that God would choose to love a sinner like me. May you continue to grow in your knowledge and appreciation of God's grace and thereby grow in your love for Him.
» David on July 4th, 2008

Awesome site. Wish I had know about it a year or more ago. Great God honoring lyrics with new easy for modern ears tunes.
Greg
» Greg Bailey on August 27th, 2008

Greetings,
I have a personal testimony to share how God made His Sovereign Grace known to me, by using the example of the Potter and the Clay. See Romans 9:21
» Harold Brown on November 1st, 2010
 
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