Lyrics: Attributed to Alexander Means.

Music: Appalachian folk tune arranged first by William Walker for his hymnal, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, then later by Southern Baptist musician William J. Reynolds.

Theme: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14.

This bluegrass version by a group called Blue Highway is not exactly the same tune that I’m used to hearing, but it’s probably more authentic and true to the older shape note rendition:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

Ye winged seraphs, fly! Bear the news! bear the news!
Ye winged seraphs fly! bear the news!
Ye winged seraphs fly!
Like comets through the sky,
Fill vast eternity with the news, with the news,
Fill vast eternity with the news!

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

Come, friends of Zion’s King, join the praise, join the praise,
Come, friends of Zion’s King, join the praise!
Come, friends of Zion’s King,
With hearts and voices sing,
And strike each tuneful string, in his praise, in his praise,
And strike each tuneful string in his praise.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

It would be easy to make new verses to this song. Maybe I’ll see if my urchins can make up a new verse to sing to this tune that expresses their faith. Here’s mine:

Amazing grace, how sweet, sweet the sound, sweet the sound,
Amazing grace, how sweet, sweet the sound.
Amazing grace, how sweet
My Lord in heav’n I’ll meet,
We’ll sing and praise His grace, sweet the sound, sweet the sound.
We’ll sing and praise His grace, sweet the sound.

Yes, I borrowed a bit, but I rather like it. Anyone else want to try it?