Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, wrote There is a Voice of Sovereign Grace. This hymn is found in 32 hymnals.
I pray this old treasure speaks light to stir up deep joy down in every believer’s heart today:
HOW sad our state by nature is!
Our sin how deep it stains!
And Satan binds our captive minds
Fast in his slavish chains.
2 But there’s a voice of sovereign grace
Sounds from the sacred Word,
‘Come, all despairing sinners, come,
And trust upon the Lord.’
3 My soul obeys the almighty call,
And runs to this relief;
I would believe Thy promise, Lord,
O help my unbelief.
4 To the dear fountain of Thy blood,
Incarnate God, I fly;
Here let me wash my guilty soul
From crimes of deepest dye.
5 A guilty, weak and helpless worm,
On Thy kind arms I fall;
Be Thou my strength and righteousness,
My Jesus and my All.
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 (1)
In my Spurgeon Devotional Bible, I’m reminded that “God’s grace outruns human sin.”
The Word of God explains:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God Romans 5:1,2.
A New Living Translation simplifies this rich thought:
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
But there’s a voice of sovereign grace
Sounds from the sacred Word,
‘Come, all despairing sinners, come,
And trust upon the Lord.’
December cheer is here, in the Word and this Hymn. This truly is a hiding place. My refuge in a storm. Romans 5: 3-5.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love Romans 5:3-5, NLT.
My soul obeys the almighty call,
And runs to this relief;
I would believe Thy promise, Lord,
O help my unbelief.
Healing flows in old lost words added to Spurgeon’s thoughts on Romans 5: No. 562 in C.H. Spurgeon’s “Our Own Hymn Book”
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us Romans 5:5.
(1) https://hymnary.org/text/there_is_a_voice_of_sovereign_grace