What Does It Mean That the Last Shall Be Fir…
Jan 30, 2026
By Grace Alone
Lyrics
1. Out of the depths I cry to You,
Lord, hear my voice of pleading;
Bend down Your gracious ear, I pray,
Your humble servant heeding.
If You remember each misdeed,
And of each thought and word take heed,
Who can remain before You?
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Lord, hear my voice of pleading;
Bend down Your gracious ear, I pray,
Your humble servant heeding.
If You remember each misdeed,
And of each thought and word take heed,
Who can remain before You?
Only by grace, by grace alone.
2. Your pardon is a gift of love,
Your grace alone must save us,
Our works will not remove our guilt,
The strictest life would fail us.
Let none in deeds or merits boast,
But let us own the Holy Ghost
for He alone can change us:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Your grace alone must save us,
Our works will not remove our guilt,
The strictest life would fail us.
Let none in deeds or merits boast,
But let us own the Holy Ghost
for He alone can change us:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
3. Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,
Who will set all His people free
From all their sin and sorrow:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our kind and faithful Shepherd He,
Who will set all His people free
From all their sin and sorrow:
Only by grace, by grace alone.
Bible Reference
Romans 3:24-28; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5; Romans 11:6
About This Hymn
By Grace Alone is the English title commonly given to Martin Luther’s great Reformation hymn Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, written in 1524. This hymn stands as one of the clearest poetic expressions of the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone, a truth that lay at the very heart of the Protestant Reformation. Luther did not write this hymn merely for personal devotion, but as a teaching hymn for the church, intended to put gospel doctrine directly onto the lips of ordinary believers.
The hymn boldly declares that salvation comes entirely from God and not from human effort, merit, or obedience to the law. Luther carefully contrasts grace and works, insisting that the law reveals sin but cannot save. This reflects the apostle Paul’s teaching that a man is justified freely by God’s grace apart from the works of the law. In Luther’s theology, the law drives the sinner to despair of self righteousness so that Christ alone may be trusted for salvation.
Christ is presented as the sole ground of hope. The hymn emphasizes that Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly and bore sin’s punishment on behalf of sinners. Faith does not earn salvation, but simply receives Christ and His righteousness as a gift. This makes the hymn both doctrinally precise and deeply pastoral, offering assurance to troubled consciences weighed down by guilt or fear of judgment.
Another important theme is assurance. Because salvation rests on God’s grace rather than human performance, the believer may have confidence before God. Luther underscores that works follow faith as fruit, not as the basis of acceptance. Good works are the result of salvation, not the cause of it. This distinction was crucial in Luther’s reforming message and remains central to evangelical theology today.
By Grace Alone has endured for centuries as a confession of faith sung by the church. It continues to serve as a powerful reminder that the gospel is not advice about how to save oneself, but good news about what God has done in Christ. The hymn invites believers to rest fully in God’s mercy, rejoice in the sufficiency of Christ’s work, and give all glory to God alone for salvation.
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Hymn Information
- Category: Hymn
- Author/Writer: Martin Luther (1524)
- Added: January 30, 2026
- Last Updated: January 30, 2026
- Views: 19
To view the author's biography, click their name above.
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