Faith's Review and Expectation

That unassuming title is the original name of a very familiar hymn. John Newton (1725-1807), the author of the words to the hymn we know as "Amazing Grace," had written the text to coincide with his New Year's sermon in 1773. The new year was always a time Newton felt compelled to reflect on his life and the grace God had shown him, so it is no surprise that he would have that theme in mind. What is surprising was his habit of composing hymns for his sermons. In 18th century England, such things were not often done.

In fact, hymnsinging as a practice in Church of England parishes was not highly valued in Newton's day. Newton, the rector of a small village church in Olney, England, was committed to communicating the gospel to the often uneducated members of his congregation. He saw the use of hymns as a way to illustrate and amplify the messages of the scriptures he was preaching, and he tried to write lyrics that would accomplish that goal while being simple enough to be easily memorized. "Amazing Grace" fits Newton's objectives very well: in its original form it contains only 146 words, 125 of which are of one syllable.

Newton's text on New Year's Day, 1773, was I Chronicles 17:16-17, the story of God's promise to David that his descendants would be forever enthroned as kings of Israel, and that God's love would never be taken from David's house. As Newton's most recent biographer, Jonathan Aitken, notes, the parallels between David and the old slave-trader-turned-preacher would not be lost on Newton: "They had both been the worst of sinners; they had both endured tempestuous journeys of extraordinary drama; they had both been undeserved recipients of God's mercy, salvation, and grace."

Newton would later compile "Amazing Grace" and other hymns, many written by his friend and collaborator William Cowper, in a collection known as Olney Hymns. It would be a best-seller in England and America, but it was not till much later that "Amazing Grace" would become known across the world as a song of hope and trust. What began as "Faith's Review and Expectation" (No. 41 in Olney Hymns) has become known as "the spiritual national anthem of America" and touched millions of lives since its writing, something that surely would have surprised its humble author.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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