Amazing Grace Lyrics - The Accurate Verses and Music

The lyrics of Amazing Grace have a powerful and interesting history. Amazing grace has a simple yet powerful message of forgiveness, redemption and mercy. We discuss the lyrics in greater detail below but here is the text for you to read and sing along to.

Amazing Grace

Verse 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.

Verse 2
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Verse 3
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Verse 4
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Verse 5
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.

Verse 6
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Verse 7
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.

By Apostle Quinson Thomas. Updated on November 26, 2025.

Hymn Information:

Title: Amazing Grace
Author / Lyricist: John Newton
Composer / Tune: New Britain (American folk tune)
Date Written / Published: 1772 (poem), 1835 (popularized with tune)
Meter: 8.6.8.6 (Common Meter)
Historical Context: Written after Newton’s conversion from slave trading; reflection on redemption.
Theme / Message: Salvation and transformation through God’s grace.
Notable Features: Simple meter, singable, widely memorized.
Cultural / Religious Impact: Iconic in Christian hymnody; adapted across multiple genres worldwide.
Source / Scholarship: “Amazing Grace: The Story of America’s Most Beloved Song” – Steve Turner

Scholarly Views On This Hymn:

Brooke Foss Westcott — University of Cambridge

According to Westcott, the hymn celebrates God’s mercy in rescuing the sinner. Westcott emphasizes grace as both sovereign and transformative.

John A. Broadus — Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

The hymn teaches conversion and renewed identity in Christ. Broadus stresses its moral and devotional effect on believers.

Charles Hodge — Princeton Theological Seminary

Hodge notes the hymn highlights God’s initiative in salvation. Hodge sees grace as the central theme that humbles and restores.

Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield — Princeton Theological Seminary

The hymn proclaims the power of divine grace over sin. Warfield emphasizes that salvation is wholly dependent on God’s mercy.

Handley Carr Glyn Moule — University of Cambridge

According to Moule, the hymn reflects heartfelt gratitude for redemption. Moule stresses that grace inspires devotion and obedience.

About The Text Of Amazing Grace

As a beloved hymn, the words of Amazing Grace have been sung by evangelical churches throughout America and the world. This song of redemption was written by Anglican Clergyman John Newton.

The song is so well known that in 2006 a real-life story Movie called Amazing Grace was written to chronicle the life of William Wilberforce.

The Amazing Grace song lyrics were written by Englishman John Newton. They really speak to the incredible power that God wrought in the Lord Jesus Christ in raising Him from the dead and giving us life by grace as we believe in His Name. This hymn, written about a slave trader who saw the truth about slavery, speaks to the redemptive power of God's grace. May we all know The Truth and may The Truth make us free.

The version we chose to use of Amazing Grace has 6 Verses plus an extra verse.

You can enjoy more hymns and Christian songs here. You can also get piano lessons to learn how to play songs like this on the piano at The Alive Christians School of Music.