Grace Abounding

On Sundays at Grace Church of Alexandria, we sing carefully selected songs and hymns that draw our attention to the majesty of God and the glory of his grace. This winter we’re singing “A Debtor to Mercy Alone” on several Sundays so that we get to know it well as a congregation.

I invite you to meditate on these lyrics to remember the extend of God’s love for his people through Christ:

A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing;
I come with your righteousness on, my humble off’ring to bring.
The judgments of Your holy law with me can have nothing to do;
My Savior’s obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which Your goodness began, the arm of Your strength will complete;
Your promise is yes and amen, and never was forfeited yet.
The future or things that are now, no power below or above,
Can make You Your purpose forgo, or sever my soul from Your love.

My name from the palms of Your hands eternity will not erase;
Impressed on Your heart it remains, in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end will endure, until I bow down at Your throne;
Forever and always secure, a debtor to mercy alone.

Original lyrics are by Augustus M. Toplady from the 1700′s. You can listen to the music and alternate lyrics by Bob Kauflin (1998) here.

On Sundays in the month of January, we’re singing an old, forgotten hymn put to new music, called “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah.” Singer and songwriter Jeremy Casella who was in concert at Grace Church of Alexandria last year has recorded a wonderful rendition of this hymn. Listen by clicking here, then selecting Track 7. Download the sheet music in .pdf format here.

This hymn draws phrases and themes from Psalm 146 to remind believers of our Lord’s certain and generous care for us. It goes along with our new sermon series on the attributes of God, called Knowing God: His Greatness & Goodness. I’m thankful for Indelible Grace for resurrecting old, unsung yet theologically rich hymns like this and rekindling the church’s interest in singing them to God’s praise. Join our church family Sundays at 10:30 am as we meet for worship in Cameron Station in Alexandria’s West End and sing hymns like this to our Lord.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Put no confidence in princes,
Nor for help on man depend;
He shall die, to dust returning,
And his purposes shall end.

Happy is the man that chooses
Israel’s God to be his aid;
He is blest whose hope of blessing
On the Lord his God is stayed.
Heaven and earth the Lord created,
Seas and all that they contain;
He delivers from oppression,
Righteousness He will maintain.

Food He daily gives the hungry,
Sets the mourning prisoner free,
Raises those bowed down with anguish,
Makes the sightless eyes to see,
Well Jehovah loves the righteous,
And the stranger He befriends,
Helps the fatherless and widow,
Judgment on the wicked sends.

Hallelujah, praise Jehovah,
O my soul, Jehovah praise;
I will sing the glorious praises
Of my God through all my days.
Over all God reigns forever,
Through all ages He is King;
Unto Him, thy God, O Zion,
Joyful hallelujahs sing.

©1982 Darwin Jordan Music. Used by permission. All rights reserved. CCLI License #2928610.

Modern hymnwriters Stuart Townend and Keith Getty have composed a marvelous Christmas hymn. On Sundays this December, Grace Church of Alexandria is singing their new hymn,”Joy Has Dawned,” to commemorate the nativity when the Lord of history made himself vulnerable and helpless for our salvation.

Myxer: Privacy Policy | Terms – More from Stuart Townend

Joy Has Dawned
Joy has dawned upon the world, promised from creation—
God’s salvation now unfurled, hope for ev’ry nation.
Not with fanfares from above, not with scenes of glory,
But a humble gift of love—Jesus born of Mary.

Sounds of wonder fill the sky with the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of Life shelters in a stable.
Hands that set each star in place, shaped the earth in darkness,
Cling now to a mother’s breast, vuln’rable and helpless.

Shepherds bow before the Lamb, gazing at the glory;
Gifts of men from distant lands prophesy the story.
Gold—a King is born today, incense—God is with us,
Myrrh—His death will make a way, and by His blood He’ll win us.

Son of Adam, Son of heaven, given as a ransom;
Reconciling God and man, Christ, our mighty champion!
What a Savior! What a Friend! What a glorious myst’ry!
Once a babe in Bethlehem, Now the Lord of hist’ry.

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend, copyright Thankyou Music (2004).

Each Sunday in November, our church family is singing “All I Have Is Christ,” a hymn celebrating Christ. When our congregation learns a new song, often we will sing it several weeks in a row to learn it well.

Verse 1 of Jordan Kauflin’s hymn brings into sharp focus 1 John 4:19 (“We love him because he first loved us.”), for it says “If You had not loved me first / I would refuse You still.” Verse 2 revels in Christ’s substitutionary atonement so that we who believe can live. Verse 3 reminds us to live out of gratitude for God’s glory: “Oh Father, use my ransomed life / In any way You choose / And let my song forever be / My only boast is You.” The chorus leaves us with a powerful reminder that the greatest treasure we could possibly have…is Christ. To download a .pdf of the hymn, click here.

I once was lost in darkest night,
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first,
I would refuse You still.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ.
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.

But as I ran my hell-bound race,
Indifferent to the cost,
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed,
You suffered in my place.
You bore the wrath reserved for me,
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ.
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone,
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your command.
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ.
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life.

Words and music by Jordan Kauflin. © 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI). Used by permission. CCLI #2928610.

“All I Have Is Christ” is from the Looked Upon album available from Sovereign Grace Ministries.

In September during Sunday worship, our church family has been learning the song “His Forever.” We’re grateful that Sovereign Grace Ministries produces gospel-laden songs for churches to sing such as this one. I love this song because it ties together quotations from Scripture and other rich hymns the church has sung throughout the centuries.

For example, the expression “drew me with His cords of love” is drawn from Hosea 11:4 where God reminds us he leads his people gently with grace. This citation of Hosea fits perfect with our current preaching series where we’re going through Hosea and other books of the Minor Prophets this fall. Then verse three echoes that powerful line from ‘There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood” which says, “Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.”

Read the lyrics below; listen to “His Forever” here (track #5 from the “Worship God Live” album, though we sing it with less instrumentation than heard there). Join us on Sundays in the month of September as we sing this song to Christ’s praise!

—

Jesus, friend of sinners, loved me ’ere I knew Him;
Drew me with His cords of love, tightly bound me to Him.
’Round my heart still closely twined, the ties that none can sever;
For I am His and He is mine, forever and forever.

Jesus, friend of sinners, a crown of thorns You wore for me;
Bruised for my transgressions, pierced for my iniquities.
The wrath of God that I deserved was poured out on the Innocent;
He took my place, my soul to save, now I am His forever.

Jesus, friend of sinners, I love to tell the story;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and will be when in glory.
Not death, nor life, nor anything can ever separate me;
O love that will not let me go, Yes, I am His forever.

Verse 1 words by James G. Small (1863); Music and new alternate words by Pat Sczebel (2003) Sovereign Grace Ministries.