Elvina Hall (1822-1899) wrote the words to “Jesus Paid It All.” It was initially played as an organ tune. The story is that she was sitting in church one Sunday, listening to the sermon, when her mind drifted from what the preacher was talking about. He had been talking about all the Jesus had done for us, and her mind drifted to “all” that Jesus had done for her. Elvina first married a man from Virginia, but was widowed. Afterward, she married a Methodist minister, Thomas Meyer, and moved to Baltimore, Maryland. She was a member of the Monument Street Methodist church for forty years. It was during her time at this church that she wrote the words to the organ hymn “Jesus Paid It All.”
We cannot save ourselves by our good works. We need the grace that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for our sins on the cross with His own precious blood. Amen.
Lyrics: Elvina M Hall
Music: John T Grape
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.
For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat.
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