Hymnal Page Scan: Faith Triumphing | Hymnary.org

Piano Recording:

Voice Note with Explanation of A Debtor to Mercy Alone:

Voice Note with Words to hymn:

(The words to the hymn are posted after the transcript of the voice note)

Transcript of Voice Note: Okay, so this hymn is called A Debtor to Mercy Alone. It can also be called Faith Triumphing or…Assurance of Faith. It’s a very powerful hymn, and it talks about things that we’ve been talking about on here. about how we’re relying on the righteousness of Christ to save us.

So it’s not by our own good works that we’re saved, but it’s through that righteousness of Christ that he worked out for us

when he obeyed the law perfectly in our place.

So the first verse, a Christian is standing before God, acknowledging that he’s a debtor to mercy alone.

that it’s not by his own works that he’s saved, he’s indebted to God’s grace and the free pardon of his sins.

So he’s singing of covenant mercy. He’s praising God for saving him by grace. he’s saying now that he’s wearing that robe of Christ’s righteousness, he no longer fears to stand before God and bring his offering of prayer and praise.

When it’s talking about the terrors of law and of God, with me it can have nothing to do. Uh my Savior’s obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view. So it’s talking about the law given in the Old Testament and think about that picture of how it was when they were at Mount Sinai and God was giving them the law and the terror and the energy that was there when the law was being given. where if anyone had touched the mountain, they would die so everybody had to stay back. The voice of God was there. There was trembling and terror, because the law made them aware of sin. And they were aware that they were not going to be able to meet the demands of the law. They needed a Savior.

So this Christian is …in this rejoicing in Christ’s sacrifice for him because he’s acknowledging here that Jesus’ obedience, his perfect life, how he obeyed the law of perfect here and his blood, his sacrifice on the cross, hide all my transgressions from view.

So he’s saying the terrors of law and of God with me can have nothing to do, my Savior’s obedience and blood. hide all my transgressions from view. so he’s been reconciled to God through Christ. So the guilt of his sins has been taken away,

that sin stained garment, and he’s been given the righteousness of Christ, and he’s accepted in God’s sight.

So it’s just a really important verse that you can use during your meditation time to meditate on that. We’re um casting our all on Christ. We’re totally relying on his righteousness and we’re rejoicing in him that he worked out that righteousness for us.

Something we could not do for ourselves. And now we’re accepted in God’s sight. And another And when you’re listening to the third verse, remember that image of…Jesus there in heaven. And he knows you by name. Your names are written on the palms of his hands. And it’s impressed on his heart. And so, this is the assurance of your salvation.

And, just that image right there. My throat is still hurting, so I can only whisper for a few minutes here. But that image of a Christian standing there, looking up to heaven, and saying, my name from the palms of his hands, eternity will not erase.

Impressed on his heart it remains in marks of indelible grace. You can use that when you’re meditating on the glory of God, his majesty, and then remembering he knows you by name, and your name is written on the palm of his hands.

So I’m going to try to whisper the words over the piano recording so you can hear how the words go with the music. And I recorded this hymn when I was playing on the piano, I played it kind of slow. I do that on purpose when I’m learning a hymn. The way that I play through the hymnal is I’ll record me playing through it. I play it through slower. Really try and learn the words slowly, and then you can speed it up as you go. But it is…It is really powerful when you slow the hymn down and use it for your meditation time. And play it slower like that because you can really think through the words. So that’s why I do it that way. it’s a little bit slow for like singing along with it, for holding the notes for that long. It just would be So this is like a meditative speed, playing it, and then you can…take time to really meditate on the words and then you could speed it up to play through it if you’re going to be singing with it. But Again, it really helps to slow it down when you’re first learning it so you can really think through the words and the imagery that goes with them. So I’ll post another recording with the words on it so you can hear how it sounds.

Here are the words to the hymn:

1 A debtor to mercy alone,
of covenant mercy I sing;
nor fear, with Your righteousness on,
my person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
with me can have nothing to do;
my Savior’s obedience and blood
hide all my transgressions from view.

2 The work which His goodness began,
the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is yea and amen,
and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
nor all things below or above,
can make Him His purpose forgo,
or sever my soul from His love.

3 My name from the palms of His hands
eternity will not erase;
impressed on His heart it remains,
in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
as sure as the earnest is giv’n;
more happy, but not more secure,
are the glorified spirits in heav’n.