The hymn was written by Julia Harriette Johnston. She was born on January 21, 1849 in Ohio. At the age of six, she moved to Peoria, IL where she resided the remainder of her life. Her father, Robert Johnston, was a Presbyterian minister.
Her mother founded the Presbyterian Missionary Society of Peoria and Julia served as president for over twenty years. She also wrote Sunday School lessons for David C. Cook Publishing Company. Over the years she authored several books including Indian and Spanish Neighbors (1905) and Fifty Missionary Heroes (1913).
She wrote over 500 hymns, including Trust in Jesus, Praise the Redeemer and What Would Jesus Have You Do?. She worked with various composers over the years to set music to her poems. Grace Greater Than Our Sins is her best known hymn.
The hymn is dated to 1910. The lyrics express the unending grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The lyrics express the dark, despairing world we live in until we accept the grace “where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.”
Daniel Brink Towner composed the music for the poem. He was born on March 5, 1850 and began studying music under his father at a young age. He served as music director for a variety of churches before becoming music director at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. He composed over 2000 hymns including At Calvary, O Grace of God so Boundless, Send Out the Light and Anywhere with Jesus.
The tune for Grace Greater Than Our Sins was given the name Moody, for Towner’s association with Dwight L. Moody and the Moody Bible Institute.
The song is first believed to have been published in Towner’s Hymns Tried and True in 1911.
Julia Johnston died on March 6, 1919. Towner died later that year on October 3, 1919 in Longwood, Missouri.
The hymn tells the beautiful story of the grace of God through the Gospel – giving us a clear picture of how His love has the power to save us.
At the heart of this story is Jesus, who was sent by God to be our Savior and to atone for our sins. By portraying Jesus as the ultimate act of divine grace, the lyrics invite us to appreciate the incredible gift we have received. The song also encourages listeners to look towards the Cross, where Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
The lyrics go on to remind us that because of Jesus’ loving act, we can find redemption and forgiveness. No matter how broken or lost we may feel, God is always there to wash us white as snow and offer us His unconditional love.
One of the most touching parts of this hymn is the promise that through His grace, we’ll be able to see His face someday. This speaks not only about experiencing His presence in our daily lives but also holds a hopeful message about eternal life and meeting Him in Heaven.
