Subject: Lyr Add: AMAZING GRACE (John Newton)
From:
Joe_F
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 11:29 PM
I could have sworn I posted this compilation on one of the other threads devoted to this song, but now I can't find it:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound 1
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, 2
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
The Lord has promised good to me; 3
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares 4
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 5
In a believer's ear.
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
Must Jesus bear the cross alone 6
And all the world go free?
No, there's a cross for ev'ry one,
And there's a cross for me.
The earth shall be dissolved like snow, 7
The sun shall cease to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.
And when this mortal life shall fail, 8
And flesh and sense shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been there ten thousand years, 9
Bright shining like the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.
When I can read my title clear 10
To mansions in the skies,
I'll bid farewell to every fear
And wipe my weeping eyes.
Should earth against my soul engage 11
And hellish darts be hurled,
Then I can smile at Satan's rage
And face a frowning world.
Let cares like a wild deluge come 12
And storms of sorrow fall,
May I but safely reach my home,
My God, my Heaven, my All.
Amazing grace has set me free 13
To touch, to taste, to feel.
The wonders of accepting Love
Have made me whole and real.
Shall I be wafted to the skies 14
On flowery beds of ease,
While others strive to win the prize
And sail through bloody seas?
Alleluia, alleluia, 15
Alleluia, praise God!
Alleluia, alleluia,
Alleluia, praise God!
Stanzas 1-4, 9, & 13 are in _Rise Up Singing_, which says that 1-4
are by John Newton (1725-1807), 9 is by John P. Rees, and 13 is from the New York YM Quakers. Stanza 15 was formerly in _RUS_, but dropped in recent editions. Stanzas 1, 2, & 4-6 are in _The Folksinger's Wordbook_. Stanzas 7-12 are in _Uncle Tom's Cabin_.
I like stanza 9 too, partly because it anticipates Cantor's formal definition of infinity: that a proper subset can have the same cardinality as the set itself.
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sj