Self-righteous souls

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.

The hymn beginning with the first line “Self-righteous souls on works rely,” is No. 12 (page 9), in The Primitive Hymns, Spiritual Songs, and Sacred Poems by Benjamin Lloyd. This is where I first saw and heard it. It is uncredited in Primitive Hymns. William Gadsby’s A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship credits it to “A. C. R., 1790” (an author or source), titles it “Free Grace,” and references the Bible texts Romans 3:24, 1 Corinthians 15:10, and 1 Timothy 1:14.

The hymn meter is Long Meter (L.M.). I have sung it to the tune Heavenly Home, and I think it works well. However, that is not the tune I heard it used with when I first heard it sung. Neither do I know whether that tune is printed (if it is).

1. Self-righteous souls on works rely,
And boast their mortal dignity;
But if I lisp a song of praise,
Each note shall echo grace, free grace.

2. ’Twas grace that quickened me when dead,
And grace my soul to Jesus led;
Grace brought me pardon for my sin—
And grace subdues my lusts within.

3. ’Tis grace that sweetens ev’ry cross,
’Tis grace supports in ev’ry loss;
In Jesus’ grace my soul is strong—
Grace is my hope, and grace my song.

4. ’Tis grace defends when danger’s near;
By grace alone I persevere;
’Tis grace constrains my soul to love—
Grace, grace, is all they sing above.

5. ’Tis thus alone of grace I boast
And ’tis alone in grace I trust;
For all that’s past, grace is my theme—
For what’s to come, ’tis still the same.

6. In countless years of grace I’ll sing,
Adore and bless my heavenly King;
I’ll cast my crown before his throne,
And shout free grace, free grace, alone.