If you read 2 Samuel 22 or 1 Chronicles 17:16-17 without understanding King David’s experiences in the preceding chapters, your perception may be limited to general assumptions about God’s blessings. However, David’s praises were not just words but testimonies born out of deep encounters with God’s power and deliverance.
David knew firsthand that it was not his strength, wisdom, or skill that saved him. He had seen God’s mighty hand rescue him from the lion, Goliath, King Saul, Absalom, Ishbi-Benob (2 Samuel 21:16-17), and his enemies at Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1-14). Each victory was a reminder that God’s grace alone sustained him.
A similar story of divine grace and transformation is found in the life of John Newton, the writer of the world-renowned hymn Amazing Grace. Originally written as a poem in 1772, this hymn was birthed from a radical conversion–one that took Newton from the depths of sin as a slave trader to the heights of faith as a pastor.
Newton, once a seaman who ruthlessly captured and sold West African natives into slavery, found himself in a life-or-death crisis when his ship was caught in a fierce storm. In that moment, when his skill and experience failed him, he could do nothing but cry out to God for mercy. Some lives were lost, but Newton was saved–a turning point that marked the beginning of his spiritual journey. He later described himself as wretched, lost, and blind–but now, I see! What an incredible testament to the overwhelming, undeserved favor of God!
In Hebrew, grace is “khen”-God’s unmerited favor. Newton captured this truth beautifully in the second stanza:
“’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!”
Dear reader, let this hymn be more than just lyrics on your lips–let it be a song of transformation, gratitude, and devotion to Jesus Christ, who has saved you from both seen and unseen dangers. May your heart overflow with thanksgiving for the grace that preserves your life daily and the salvation that spares you from eternal death.
As you sing Amazing Grace from today, may it draw you closer to Christ, deepen your love for Him, and strengthen your dedication to serving Him until your last breath.
Amen.
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