TEXTS AND TUNES proposed for inclusion in the Hymn Sing Hymnal
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Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

John Newton / last stanza anonymous

Hymnary text authority (1392 instances)
Hymnary text authority (My Chains Are Gone variant; ©) (10 instances)
Cyber Hymnal™ page

 
   Major variants: Gabriel version with refrain —— Tomlin "My Chains Are Gone" variant
   
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. ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
  And grace my fears relieved;
  How precious did that grace appear
  The hour I first believed!

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.

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.

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.

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

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. 

(8. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
  That saved a wretch like me!
  I once was lost, but now am found;
  Was bound, but now I'm free.)
  
  ——————————
  
    Charles Gabriel's: version of the hymn consists of 
    verses 1, 3 and 4 above,each followed by the following refrain, in 
    which the soprano line sings the top lines of text, while the other 
    three voices sing the lower, parentthesized lines:
  
  Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . so free and boundless,
(Grace, amazing grace! so rich, so full and boundless,}

  Broad . . . . . . . . . . as eternity;
(Grace, amazing grace! broad as eternity;)

  Grace . . . . . . . . . . so wonderful, rich, and free,
(Grace, amazing grace! so wonderful and free,)

  Grace, . . . . amazing grace!
(Wondrous grace, amazing grace, amazing grace!)

——————————

  Chris Tomlin's "My Chains Are Gone" uses Newton's stanzas 
  1, 2, 4 and 6 above, appending the following refrain after vv. 2 and 4, 
  and signing the last line of v. 6 three times.:
  
My chains are gone, I've been set free.
My God, my Savior, has ransomed me.
And like a flood his mercy reigns,
unending love, amazing grace.

  
    

Tune:

NEW BRITAIN (AMAZING GRACE)

ARLINGTON

HARP

RISING SUN

WARWICK

Version with refrain:
GRACE (Gabriel)