WONDERFUL, MERCIFUL SAVIOR
The hymn "Wonderful Merciful Savior" is co-written and composed by Dawn Rodgers and Eric Wyse. The
song's themes revolve around praising God, acknowledging his mercy, and expressing hope in his grace.
The hymn is published under CCLI with specific licensing information, indicating its use in worship
settings.
Dawn Rodgers and Eric Wyse are credited with both the words and music of the hymn, according to
PraiseCharts and multiple resources showcasing the song's sheet music.
The hymn celebrates God as a merciful and wonderful savior, highlighting his role in rescuing souls and
offering hope. It also emphasizes praise and adoration, healing, and grace, all of which are things that
the song says humanity desires.
THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD
There is Power in the Blood is a great old hymn about the power of Christ blood.
The hymn was written in 1889 by Lewis Edgar Jones.
Lewis Jones was born on February 8, 1865 in Yates City, Illinois.
Jones was attending a camp meeting at Mountain Lake Park, MD when he wrote his most popular hymn.
One can imagine it was a powerful time and experience as he basked in Jesus love and sacrifice.
Lewis Jones was a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute and graduated in the same class as Billy Sunday.
He would work for the YMCA. Over his career there, he held a variety of positions. His hobby was hymn
writing and his best known is “There is Power in the Blood”.
The hymn first appeared in Songs of Praise and Victory and later, Gospel Praises both in 1899.
Jones daughter provided a number of pseudonyms he published his hymns under. A few of these
include Lewis Edgar, Edgar Lewis, and Mary Slater.
Lewis Jones died on September 1, 1936 in Santa Barbara, California.
Over 100 years later, the song message of the song still serves as a powerful reminder of Jesus sacrifice
for us.
JESUS SAVES
The "Jesus Saves" hymn was written by Priscilla J. Owens, a prolific hymn writer born in 1829 and passed
away in 1907. She penned the hymn in 1882, and it has since been published in over 529 hymnals. The
song's message of salvation and redemption has made it a beloved gospel hymn, with its powerful lyrics
proclaiming Jesus' saving power .
The composer of the hymn tune for "Jesus Saves" is William J. Kirkpatrick (1838-1921). Kirkpatrick was
an American composer and music teacher who wrote many gospel songs and hymns. He collaborated
with Priscilla J. Owens, who wrote the lyrics to "Jesus Saves".
AND CAN IT BE
Charles Wesley was an Anglican Priest and itinerant preacher who wrote around 6500 hymns in his life.
One of the first and best was “And Can It Be.” Likely written shortly after his evangelical conversion in
May 1738, it reflects a personal relationship with Jesus through the experience of spiritual rebirth.
The hymn is typically sung to SAGINA, by Thomas Campbell, which features a refrain of the last two
lines:
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
HALLELUJAH, WHAT A SAVIOUR
Philip P. Bliss wrote both the words and music for “Hallelujah, What a Saviour!” He was one of the best-
known and beloved musicians in his day, frequently singing in D. L. Moody’s services in Chicago. Bliss’
singing was so well-received that Moody suggested that he consider being a song evangelist. In 1874 he
became song leader for the well-known evangelist, Major D. W. Whittle, until Bliss died in a train
accident two years later. He was one of the most influential gospel hymn-writers of the second half of
the nineteenth century. He wrote and published hundreds of gospel hymns, many times writing both
the words and the music.
“Hallelujah, What a Saviour!” was written in 1875, shortly before his death. The famous gospel song-
writer and singer, Ira D. Sankey, wrote concerning the song: “A few weeks before his death,
Mr. Bliss visited the State Prison at Jackson, Michigan, where, after a very touching address on The Man
of Sorrows, he sang this hymn with great effect. Many of the prisoners dated their conversion from that
day.”
The song clearly depicts Christ’s suffering and work of atonement as described by the prophet Isaiah:
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were
our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
