Songs That Changed My Life: Amazing Grace & Wayfaring Man

Daily writing prompt

What’s a song that changed your life?

This post answers today’s WordPress daily prompt: “What’s a song that changed your life?”

For me, it’s a tie: “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” and “Amazing Grace.” Both have touched my soul and brought deep emotion. I’ve gone back to them many times, and I have felt closer to my Savior through them.

A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

I can still remember it to this day. I was a teenager in North Carolina, and our church met in a converted country club building that the Church had bought and used as a chapel. There was a swimming pool in a different section of the property, and next to it was a really big field, surrounded by beautiful North Carolina trees, where we loved to play soccer and other games.

The chapel had beautiful tall windows. One particular fall Sunday morning, the sunrise colors were streaming through those windows, and we decided to sing all seven verses of “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.”

It was the first time a song hit me that hard. I don’t think there was a dry eye in that chapel. We all felt a closeness to our Savior that day, more than usual.

Later, during a very dark time in my life, I memorized all seven verses. Those words helped pull me through the darkness, the despair and the loneliness.

The text was written by the English poet James Montgomery in 1826. It’s set to music by George Coles. It’s hymn #29 in our hymnbook, and it’s the hymn John Taylor sang in Carthage Jail just before the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Here are all seven verses:

1.
A poor wayfaring Man of grief
Hath often crossed me on my way,
Who sued so humbly for relief
That I could never answer nay.
I had not pow'r to ask His name,
Whereto He went, or whence He came;
Yet there was something in His eye
That won my love; I knew not why.

2.
Once, when my scanty meal was spread,
He entered; not a word He spake,
Just perishing for want of bread.
I gave Him all; He blessed it, brake,
And ate, but gave me part again.
Mine was an angel's portion then,
For while I fed with eager haste,
The crust was manna to my taste.

3.
I spied Him where a fountain burst
Clear from the rock; His strength was gone.
The heedless water mocked His thirst;
He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
I ran and raised the suff'rer up;
Thrice from the stream He drained my cup,
Dipped and returned it running o'er;
I drank and never thirsted more.

4.
'Twas night; the floods were out; it blew
A winter hurricane aloof.
I heard His voice abroad and flew
To bid Him welcome to my roof.
I warmed and clothed and cheered my guest
And laid Him on my couch to rest,
Then made the earth my bed and seemed
In Eden's garden while I dreamed.

5.
Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found Him by the highway side.
I roused His pulse, brought back His breath,
Revived His spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment—He was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

6.
In pris'n I saw Him next, condemned
To meet a traitor's doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored Him 'mid shame and scorn.
My friendship's utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for Him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
But my free spirit cried, "I will!"

7.
Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in His hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name He named,
"Of Me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto Me."

Text: James Montgomery (1826). Music: George Coles. Hymns, no. 29. See Matthew 25:31–40 and Mosiah 2:17.

Here is the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square singing it, arranged by Mack Wilberg:

Amazing Grace

The next song that has helped me throughout my life is “Amazing Grace.” I love all the versions! And I really love the rare occasions when we sing all of the verses.

For a long time it wasn’t in our hymnbook, and I mourned its absence. In 2024, the Church added it to our new hymnbook, Hymns—For Home and Church, as hymn #1010.

I memorized this one during the dark years of my life, too, and it helped me tremendously.

I’m actually the ward choir director in our church, and one of our choir members isn’t a big fan of “Amazing Grace” because the man who wrote it was a slave trader. That’s true, and the details often get glossed over.

John Newton worked on slave ships and later captained them. His spiritual turning point came during a terrible storm at sea in 1748, but honestly, he kept working in the slave trade for several more years after that before he left it. He later became a minister in the Church of England and wrote “Amazing Grace” around 1772, for a New Year’s Day sermon in the village of Olney. It was published in Olney Hymns in 1779. In 1788 he published Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade, confessing his part in it and joining the fight to end it.

Here’s the way I feel. If God can forgive and love him, and if He can forgive and love me, He can forgive and love anybody.

So, back to my choir. I found a beautiful arrangement, AnnMarie Murdock’s “Amazing Grace with Violin”, for choir, piano and violin. The solo was written for violin, but I had it transposed to bass clef in the key of C for trombone. Woven into it is the melody of “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.” My two songs, together in one piece. Tears came down hard the day we performed it in church.

If you lead a choir, her arrangement is free on SacredSheetMusic.org. The site asks that you send her a thank-you if you use it.

Here are John Newton’s original six verses, plus the verse almost everyone sings today:

1.
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

2.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

3.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

4.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

5.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

6.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Added later:
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

Text: John Newton (Olney Hymns, 1779). The “ten thousand years” verse wasn’t Newton’s. It appeared with “Amazing Grace” in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) and is often credited to John P. Rees. Today it’s Hymns—For Home and Church, no. 1010.

Here’s the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square:

And I love Chris Tomlin’s version, “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).” He added a new chorus that isn’t in Newton’s original, a joyful celebration of being set free by the Savior. It definitely warms my heart and soul.

Your turn

What song has changed your life? Is there a hymn or song you’ve memorized that carried you through a hard season? I’d love to hear about it in the comments. 🎶

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