Amazing grace! how sweet the sound

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General information

This is an hymn by John Newton, 1779, Olney Hymns, Hymn 41 of Book 1, entitled Faith's review and expectation, based on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17.

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Text and translations

English.png English text

Olney Hymns, 1779

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.

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

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

The world shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forebear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

 

Another version (st. 7 by John Rees)

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!

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

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The world shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun refuse to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.

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

French.png French translation

Quelle grâce improbable, et comme est douce la parole
Qui me sauve, moi l’épave !
J’étais perdu, je me retrouve,
Aveugle, et je vois.

La grâce a enseigné la crainte à mon cœur
La grâce m’en a délivré.
Combien précieuse m’apparut-elle
À l’heure où je me mis à croire.

Je suis passé par tant de dangers, de peines
Et de pièges ;
C’est la grâce qui m’a amené où je suis
Elle me conduira au but.

Comme il résonne doucement, le nom de Jésus
À l’oreille du croyant !
Il adoucit sa peine, soigne ses blessures
Et chasse au loin sa peur.

Jésus doit-il porter seul la croix
Et le monde vaquer tranquillement ?
Non, il existe une croix pour chacun,
Et moi, j’ai la mienne.

Le Seigneur m’a promis de bonnes choses.
Sa parole est garante de mon espoir.
Il sera mon bouclier et ma part du butin
Tant que durera la vie.

Oui, quand le coeur et la chair défailleront
Quand la vie mortelle cessera
Pour moi sera, derrière le voile,
Une vie de joie et de paix.

Quand nous serons restés dix mille ans
Resplendissant tels le soleil.
Nous n’aurons pas moins de jours à chanter la gloire de Dieu
Que quand nous avions commencé.

 

External links

Discussion of tunes used with these words