Charles Wesley - All Glory To Our Gracious Lord! Lyrics

Meaning & Inspiration

Released on May 21, 2021, Charles Wesley’s profound hymn, "All Glory To Our Gracious Lord!", stands as a monumental declaration of Christian faith, praise, and deep theological understanding. While its origins trace back to the foundational era of Methodism, its digital release allows new generations to encounter its timeless message. The hymn itself is a comprehensive journey through the core tenets of Christianity, articulating both the majestic character of God and the transformative experience of salvation. It doesn’t just offer snippets of praise; it builds a cumulative argument for adoration, weaving together doctrines of grace, redemption, and personal assurance with an evangelistic fervor. Wesley, a master hymnist, crafts each stanza to reveal another facet of divine truth, inviting the believer into a deeper relationship with their Creator and Redeemer.

The hymn opens with an immediate and resounding call to worship, proclaiming "All glory to our gracious Lord!" and emphasizing His love as "eternally the same." This introduces a central theme of God's unchanging nature, a comfort found in passages like Jeremiah 31:3, which speaks of an everlasting love, and Hebrews 13:8, which declares Jesus Christ to be "the same yesterday and today and forever." The expansive call for "Aaron's sons" and "all that fear the Lord" to confess His "free and everlasting grace" transcends specific roles, echoing the universal availability of God's grace as taught in Ephesians 2:8-9, where salvation is by grace through faith. Moving into a personal declaration, the hymn then articulates the profound assurance of faith: "The Lord I now can say is mine." This intimate claim resonates with Psalm 118:6, "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid," and Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd." The believer’s confidence, rooted in "strength divine," banishes fear of "man, nor fiends, nor flesh," reflecting Romans 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Jesus, as the Saviour, takes part in and "keeps the issues of my heart," a direct echo of Proverbs 4:23 to "guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it," affirming Christ’s protective and guiding presence in the inner life.

This newfound assurance naturally flows into a state of transformed being. The third stanza celebrates the believer's righteousness "in him, and strong," aligning with 2 Corinthians 5:21, where we "become the righteousness of God" in Christ. Christ becomes "my joyful song, My Saviour and salvation too," a sentiment found throughout the Psalms, such as Psalm 28:7. Through "mighty grace," triumph is achieved, leading to a hope of seeing God's face with a "pure in heart," a promise from Matthew 5:8. The culmination of this personal transformation is to "rise in Christ a creature new," a powerful affirmation of spiritual rebirth as described in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" This individual experience expands into a communal expression in the fourth stanza, where "the voice of joy, and love, and praise" for "redeeming grace" is "among the justified." This collective adoration, with "songs that rival those above" and "shouts proclaiming Jesu's love," speaks to the vibrant, unified worship of the church, a foretaste of the heavenly chorus described in Revelation 5:9-10.

The hymn then turns to the magnificent power of God, celebrating how "The Lord's right hand hath wonders wrought above the reach of human thought." This imagery of God’s right hand, symbolizing power and authority, is prevalent in scripture, notably Psalm 118:15-16. It is "still stretched out to save," an enduring promise found in Isaiah 59:1. Through Christ, believers access "the power of God," affirming 1 Corinthians 1:18, and recognize Jesus as "the Prince of peace," fulfilling Isaiah 9:6 and offering the peace that "transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). This understanding then leads to an earnest petition in the sixth stanza: "Open the gates of righteousness, receive me into Christ my peace." This prayer for access into God's presence through Christ directly references Psalm 118:19-20. It reinforces Christ's foundational claim in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," portraying Him as "The portal of eternal day, The gate of heaven."

The focus shifts powerfully to Christ's divine authority and triumph in the seventh stanza. "JESUS is lifted up on high," echoing Philippians 2:9-11, despite being "refused and doomed to die" by man, a poignant reminder of His rejection and suffering (Isaiah 53:3). Yet, He "is become the corner-stone," fulfilling Psalm 118:22 and Ephesians 2:20, and stands as "Head of the church," reigning from His "everlasting throne" as affirmed in Ephesians 1:22-23 and Daniel 7:14. The hymn then joyously declares the ultimate victory: the resurrection. "The Lord the amazing work hath wrought, Hath from the dead our Shepherd brought," referencing Hebrews 13:20, "revived on the third glorious day," as recounted in Luke 24:7. This monumental event transforms "This is the day our God hath made," from Psalm 118:24, into "the day for sinners to be glad in him who bears their sins away" (John 1:29).

Building on this bedrock of salvation, the ninth stanza moves into a prayer for ongoing sanctification and deeper commitment. With "joyful lips we praise," believers implore, "O send us now thy saving grace, Make this the acceptable hour." This expresses a yearning for immediate spiritual renewal, an open invitation for Christ to "Enter, and make an end of sin," aligning with Revelation 3:20 and the promise of deliverance from sin's power in Romans 6:6. The subsequent stanza continues this plea for blessing, so that believers may "call thee blest" and proclaim God's "sinless nature to impart" in every heart. This speaks to the transformative process of partaking in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) and being conformed to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29), manifesting God's glorious name through a renewed life. The eleventh stanza, "God is the Lord that shows us light," inspires a practical response, urging believers to "render him his right," offering "the offerings of a thankful mind" and presenting a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). It calls for a deep, abiding connection, to be bound "to his cross in closest ties with cords of love," a commitment rooted in Christ’s love (Hosea 11:4).

The hymn concludes with a powerful restatement of personal devotion and a universal call to witness, mirroring its opening themes. "Thou art my God, and thee I praise," declares the individual heart, echoing Psalm 18:2. This personal testimony then expands to "call mankind to extol thy name," fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and the universal call to praise found in Psalm 66:4. The final lines circle back to the core message: "All glory to our gracious Lord! His name be praised, his love adored, Through all eternity the same!" This serves as both a summation and a timeless affirmation, ensuring that the enduring love and glory of God, unchanging and ever-present, remain the ultimate focus. "All Glory To Our Gracious Lord!" is more than just a song; it's a profound catechetical journey, an inspiring call to worship, and a fervent prayer, designed to uplift the spirit and deepen the understanding of God’s boundless grace for every believer.