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How soon the Savior’s gracious call

Book 3, Hymn 79 · John Newton · Public-domain words

The words

  1. Stanza 1. How soon the Savior’s gracious call,Disarmed the rage of bloody Saul!JESUS, the knowledge of thy name,Changes the lion to a lamb!

  2. Stanza 2. Zaccheus, when he knew the LORD,What he had gained by wrong, restored;And of the wealth he prized before,He gave the half to feed the poor.

  3. Stanza 3. The woman who so vile had been,When brought to weep o’er pardoned sin,Was from her evil ways estranged,And showed that grace her heart had changed.

  4. Stanza 4. And can we think the pow’r of graceIs lost, by change of time and place?Then it was mighty, all allow,And is it but a notion now?

  5. Stanza 5. Can they whom pride and passion sway,Who Mammon and the world obey,In envy or contention live,Presume that they indeed believe?

  6. Stanza 6. True faith unites to CHRIST the root,By him producing holy fruit;And they who no such fruit can show,Still on the stock of nature grow.

  7. Stanza 7. LORD, let thy word effectual prove,To work in us obedient love!And may each one who hears it dreadA name to live; and yet be dead.

Olney Hymns (1779), Book 3, Hymn 79. John Newton. Public domain. CCEL transcription with modernized spelling. www.praylock.com/olney-hymns/3-79

About these words

John Newton lived from 1725 to 1807. These historical words are public domain.

This hymn belongs to the complete three-book collection first published in 1779.

The CCEL transcription modernizes spelling and some punctuation. Read this hymn at the source. Checked 23 October 2026.

No sheet music or recordings are included. This web collection is separate from the PrayLock iPhone app.

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