You help make Hymnary.org possible. More than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources and encouragement on Hymnary.org in 2025, including you. Every visit affirms the global impact of this ministry.

If Hymnary has been meaningful to you this year, would you take a moment today to help sustain it? A gift of any size—paired with a note of encouragement if you wish—directly supports the server costs, research work and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org
Calvin University
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for your partnership, and may the hope of Advent fill your heart.

God's Grace

Representative Text

1 I am not what I ought to be,
The Word of God re­veals;
I am not what I might have been,
My heart with­in me feels.
I am not what I’ll sure­ly be
When I be­hold His face,
But what I am, I am thro’ Him,
And onl­y by His grace.

2 If there is any good in me,
It is not of my own;
If there is any grace it is
The grace of God alone.
My fault is mine, I blame it not
On any­one be­side;
The sin is mine, the grace alone
Is His, the Cru­ci­fied.

3 I trem­ble when I see my­self,
The man I might have been;
I dare not count im­pos­si­ble
The deep­est depths of sin.
The mean­est mortal whom I meet,
However how he be,
But for the sav­ing grace of God,
Might thus have been with me.

4 I know that God has more for me
Than I have ev­er dreamed,
Tho’ I be count­ed least among
The hosts of the re­deemed.
But whe­ther much or lit­tle of
That bless­ed­ness be mine,
I dare not count it mer­it­ed,
’Tis all of grace di­vine.

5 God’s grace is all my con­fi­dence,
His good­ness all my stay;
I stand up­on His prom­is­es—
He will not say me nay.
I trust no arm of flesh to save,
No mer­it of my own,
My faith ab­id­eth ev­er in
The grace of God alone.


Source: The Cyber Hymnal #16602

Author: Robert Whitaker

b. 1863; clergyman in Calif., Ore., and Wash.; poet; official of American Civil Liberties Union, 1924-26; lecturer Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: I am not what I ought to be
Title: God's Grace
Author: Robert Whitaker
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #16602
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances in all hymnals

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #16602

Include 1 pre-1979 instance
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.