Wonderful Grace of Jesus
Haldor Lillenas was born in Norway. He immigrated to America as a child and lived in South Dakota for two years before settling in Astoria, Oregon.
Mr. and Mrs.
Lillenas traveled extensively throughout this country, conducting
evangelistic meetings as well as furnishing songs and choir music for
many of the foremost song leaders of that era.
It was while
pastoring the Church of the Nazarene at Auburn, Illinois, between 1916
and 1919, that Haldor Lillenas wrote Wonderful Grace of Jesus. He
said—
“In 1917, Mrs.
Lillenas and I built our first little home in the town of Olivet,
Illinois. Upon its completion, we had scarcely any money left to furnish
the little home.
“Having no piano
at the time, and needing an instrument of some kind, I managed to find,
at one of the neighbor’s home, a little wheezy organ which I purchased
for $5.00. With the aid of this instrument, a number of my songs, were
written which are now popular, including ‘Wonderful Grace of Jesus.’”
“Wonderful Grace
of Jesus
was first published, in 1922, in the Tabernacle Choir Book, for which
Mr. Lillenas was paid the grand sum of $5.00. Although we generally sing
this hymn with an inspirational, brisk tempo, Mr. Lillenas often
complained that most congregations sang the hymn too fast. A song should
be performed in such a fashion that the words can be comfortably
pronounced without undue haste, he often said.
—Adapted
from Kenneth Osbeck
Wonderful Grace of Jesus
(1) Wonderful grace of Jesus, Greater than all my
sin;
How shall my tongue describe it, Where shall its
praise begin?
Taking away my burden, Setting my spirit free,
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Chorus:
Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
All sufficient grace for even me;
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame;
O magnify the precious name of Jesus,
Praise His name!
(2) Wonderful grace of Jesus, Reaching to all the
lost,
By it I have been pardoned, Saved to the uttermost;
Chains have been torn asunder, Giving me liberty,
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
(3) Wonderful grace of Jesus, Reaching the most
defiled.
By its transforming power Making him God's dear
child,
Purchasing peace nad heaven For all eternity-
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
No comments:
Post a Comment