This is hymn 2 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Hymn 2: AMAZING GRACE
1.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.
2.Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
“Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
3. The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
4. 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.
5. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
6. 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.
AMAZING GRACE HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, we come now to what is perhaps the most universally known and deeply personal hymn of the Christian faith—”Amazing Grace.” More than a song, it is a testimony in melody, a theological anchor, and a journey of the soul from the pit of despair to the pinnacle of eternal hope. This hymn does not just speak about grace; it is the cry of a heart that has been utterly transformed by it.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to remember our origin, to testify of our rescue, and to anchor our future in the unchanging faithfulness of God. It is the story of every believer, a story where grace is the beginning, the middle, and the glorious end.
1. It is a Hymn of Personal Transformation (Verse 1)
The opening line is a burst of awe: “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound.” Grace is not a dry doctrine but a sweet, life-giving reality that reaches the ears of the perishing. The confession is starkly honest—”a wretch like me.” This acknowledges the depth of our sin and the boundless reach of God’s mercy. The transformation is absolute: lost to found, blind to see. This is the miracle of the new birth (2 Corinthians 5:17), the moment the light of Christ shatters our spiritual darkness. We sing this to never forget what we were, and more importantly, who saved us.
2. It is a Hymn of Sustaining Providence (Verse 2)
Grace is not only for the moment of salvation; it is for the journey. As we look back at the “dangers, toils and snares” we have navigated—the trials, temptations, and sorrows—we see the true cause of our perseverance. It is not our own strength, but grace that has “brought me safe thus far.” And with confident hope, we declare that the same grace “will lead me home.” Our past deliverance is the guarantee of our future safe arrival.
3. It is a Hymn of Covenant Assurance (Verse 3)
Grace secures us to the promises of God. Our hope is not a fragile wish but a secure anchor, bound to the immutable “Word” of God. He is our “Shield” in every battle and our “Portion” in every season of want (Psalm 73:26). For “as long as life endures,” which is to say, always, His covenant love is our inheritance.
4. It is a Hymn of Triumphant Hope Over Death (Verses 4 & 5)
The hymn confronts our greatest earthly fear—death—and transforms it into a gateway. “When this flesh and heart shall fail,” grace does not. We will pass “within the veil” into the very presence of God, to a “life of joy and peace.” Even the final dissolution of the cosmos itself (“the earth shall soon dissolve like snow”) cannot undo what grace has accomplished. The eternal God who called us “will be forever mine.” Our security is in His eternal nature, not our temporal circumstances.
5. It is a Hymn of Eternal Glory (Verse 6)
The final verse lifts our eyes to an eternity of worship. After “ten thousand years” of shining in His glory, we are just beginning. The breathtaking truth is this: “We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’d first begun.” Grace not only saves us from hell; it ushers us into an infinite, ever-fresh, ever-new ocean of joyful adoration. The song that began with a rescued wretch ends with a glorified saint, singing forever.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Are you burdened by the memory of your past? Look back and see the amazing grace that found you. Are you weary in the present struggle? Look around and see the grace that sustains you. Are you fearful of the future or of death? Look ahead and see the grace that promises to lead you home and welcome you into unending joy.
Sing this hymn today as your own testimony. Let it humble you and fill you with unspeakable joy. You were a wretch, but you are now a child. You were lost, but you are now held securely in the grip of grace—yesterday, today, and for ten thousand years to come.
This is your story. This is our song. Praise the Lord for His amazing, all-sufficient grace.
In the name of Jesus, the fountain of all grace, Amen.
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