I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)

This is one of my top favorite hymns of all time! It was written by a young farm boy named Charles Gabriel from Iowa who, like me, learned music at an early age. It was published in 1905 and has since found its way into over 200 hymnals.

In the first verse, we sing of the posture of the redeemed. “I stand amazed in the presence…”! When I sing that, I’m immediately swept up in the imagery of Jesus’ magnificence. “And wonder how he could love me, A sinner, condemned, unclean.”, those are my words, that is my heart, that is so true! I know the wretchedness of my sins and the Apostle Paul did too. In Romans 7:24, Paul says “Wretched man that I am! Who will delivery me from this body of death?” He goes on in Romans 8:1 to show us that because of what Christ has done for us, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” HOW MARVELOUS!! HOW WONDERFUL!!

In verse two, we dive in a little more into the work of Christ in our lives. “He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them his very own.” The Apostle Peter tells us in his first letter, 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”  The song goes on, “He bore the burden to Calv’ry, and suffered and died alone.” He did this for you! He did this for me! And we are able to “live to righteousness” because of it! HOW MARVELOUS! HOW WONDERFUL!

“When with the ransomed in glory, His face I at last shall see”. If that don’t lite your fire, your wood’s wet! I personally cannot sing that without a smile, sometimes even tears. “‘Twill be my joy through the ages, to sing of his love for me.” Again, such a moving line and the posture of our heart as the redeemed.

 

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how he could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Refrain:
How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be;
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them his very own;
He bore the burden to Calv’ry,
And suffered and died alone. [Refrain]

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
‘Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of his love for me. [Refrain]

The late Timothy Keller once wrote this prayer, “Lord, so many of my problems stem from not remembering you. I forget your wisdom and so I worry. I forget your grace and so I get complacent. I forget your mercy and so I get resentful of others. Help me remember who you are every moment of the day. Amen.” This song is a great reminder thru the day.

How marvelous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be;
How marvelous! How wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

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