The Theme of My Song

Every now and then we find songs about singing! In this beautiful hymn, John Stocker turns our attention to God’s mercy. In the first verse, we remember that it is only by God’s mercy that we escape the terrors of Hell and that it was because of and for mercy that Jesus gave himself on the cross for our sins. In verse two, we remember it is only God’s mercy that can overcome the coldness of our heart. Verse three proclaims the blessed truth that God’s mercy is freely available to all who come for it, while we conclude by singing that it is God’s covenenat love that guarantees our ownership of His mercy. This hymn has also been made popular by the group Caedmon’s Call, who wrote another tune for it with slightly different verses and lyrics.

Lyrics

Verse 1:
Your mercy in Jesus exempts me from hell;
Its glories I'll sing, and its wonders I'll tell;
'Twas Jesus in mercy, Who hung on the tree,
And opened the channel of mercy for me.
Verse 2:
Your mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
O'ercome by Your goodness, pride falls to the ground,
And awe fills my soul at the mercy I've found.
Chorus:
Your mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue;
Your free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Has won my affections and bound my soul fast.
Verse 3:
The door of Your mercy stands open all day,
To souls poor and needy, who knock by the way;
Not one is rejected of all those who came,
Appealing for mercy in Jesus' dear name.
Verse 4:
Great Father of mercies! Your goodness I own,
The covenant love of Your crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine!

 

Words by John Stocker (1776). Music by David L. Ward.
© 2000 Hymnicity
CCLI Song #4260824