Wonderful Grace of Jesus

Both words and music to this song were composed by Haldor Lillenas. He was born November 19, 1885, at Stord Island, Norway. His parents were Ole Paulsen and Anne Marie Lillenas. They came to the United States circa 1886. Haldor was raised as a Lutheran, but later became a Church of the Nazarene minister. He married Bertha Mae Wilson on October 4, 1910, and they had two children. Wonderful Grace of Jesus was copyrighted in 1918, and published in 1922 in The Tabernacle Choir song book (Richard J. Oliver and Lance Latham, editors, Chicago, IL: Tabernacle Publishing Company). Haldor Lillenas died August 18, 1959, and is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.

1. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

Chorus:
Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Higher than the mountain, sparkling like a fountain,
All-sufficient grace for even me!
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame,
O magnify the precious name of Jesus.
Praise His name!

2. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost,
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

3. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God’s dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven,
For all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.