Lyrics
Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Lived that I might never die,
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.
Oh, the height of Jesus' love!
Higher than the heavens above,
Deeper than the depths of sea,
Lasting as eternity.
Love that found me--wondrous thought!--
Found me when I sought Him not.
Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart;
Peace that flows from sin forgiven,
Joy that lifts the soul to heaven;
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.
Chief of sinner though I be,
Christ is All in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own.
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.
O my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
Chief Of Sinners presents a hymn-shaped confession of human need and Christ’s saving mercy. Its opening identifies the singer with sinners while placing confidence in Jesus’ sacrificial blood, death, and risen life. The image of a branch joined to the vine gives that assurance a biblical shape: belonging to Christ is shown as the source of continuing life. The next stanza dwells on the immeasurable love that seeks the lost before they seek their Savior.
Later stanzas turn from confession to the gifts that follow forgiveness: healing for a wounded spirit, peace, joy, faith, and hope. Christ is described as knowing every need and sharing every sorrow, while the closing prayer asks for the Spirit and the Word to guard against wandering. The plea for grace “in time of need” closely echoes Hebrews, and the title recalls Paul’s description of himself in 1 Timothy. Together, these themes make the hymn both a candid acknowledgment of sin and a sustained declaration of security in Christ.
Related Scripture
- 1 Timothy 1:15 Paul calls himself the foremost of sinners while proclaiming that Christ came to save sinners.
- John 15:5 Jesus describes himself as the vine and his followers as the branches.
- Hebrews 4:16 Believers are invited to seek mercy and grace in time of need.