Lyrics
Someday the silver cord will break,
And I no more as now shall sing;
But, oh, the joy when I shall wake
Within the palace of the King!
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story—Saved by grace.
Someday my earthly house will fall;
I cannot tell how soon ’twill be;
But this I know—my All in All
Has now a place in heav’n for me.
Someday, when fades the golden sun
Beneath the rosy tinted west,
My blessed Lord will say, “Well done!”
And I shall enter into rest.
Someday: till then I’ll watch and wait,
My lamp all trimmed and burning bright,
That when my Savior opes the gate,
My soul to Him may take its flight.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“Saved by Grace” looks toward death with confidence rooted in Christ rather than fear. Images of the broken silver cord, the fallen earthly house, and the fading sun describe mortal life coming to an end. Against those images, the repeated hope of seeing the Savior face to face and entering the King’s palace gives the hymn its steady assurance. Its title phrase places that assurance in grace, not human achievement.
The final verse turns expectation into watchfulness. A trimmed and burning lamp echoes Jesus’ parable of the wise virgins, while the promised welcome of “Well done” recalls the faithful servants in Matthew 25. The heavenly dwelling also aligns with Christ’s promise that his Father’s house has many rooms. Together, these biblical images present salvation as a gift that produces patient faithfulness: the singer waits, remains ready, and trusts that Christ has prepared a place of rest. The song therefore joins personal mortality, Christian hope, and the confession of grace in a concise hymn of assurance.
Related Scripture
- 2 Corinthians 5:1 Paul contrasts the earthly dwelling with an eternal dwelling from God.
- Matthew 25:21 The faithful servant is welcomed with the words, Well done.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul anticipates seeing face to face.