The Great Atonement

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Great is the marvelous mystery of grace divine

Author: Haldor Lillenas
Tune: [Great is the marvelous mystery of grace divine]
Published in 3 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Great is the marvelous mystery of grace divine,
Who can describe or explain it? but surely I know ‘tis mine;
How can it be that a sinner condemned and by guilt enslaved,
Can thro’ the merits of Jesus’ atonement be saved, be saved?

Refrain:
Marvelous, infinite mercy;
Fathomless, wonderful love,
That unto us bro’t redemption
From Him who reigneth above!
Righteousness fully was satisfied,
Mercy was crowned when the Savior died,
And by the blood flowing from His side,
I’m saved, I’m saved.

2 Ev’ry demand of God’s righteous law was met one day,
When on the cross Jesus carried my sin and my guilt away;
By no endeavor of mine could my heart be from sin set free;
Only in Christ am I ransomed and saved for eternity. [Refrain]

3 Great is the marvelous mystery of grace divine;
On ev’ry page of God’s dear, blessed book I can see it shine;
Thanks be to Jesus who made full atonement upon the cross!
Mine was the gain but to Him was the suff’ring and bitter loss. [Refrain]

Source: The Voice of Thanksgiving No. 3 #140

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Author: Haldor Lillenas

Rv Haldor Lillenas DMus Norway/USA 1885-1959. Born at Stord, near Bergen, Norway, his father sold their 15 acre farm in Norway and emigrated to the U.S., buying a farm in Colton, SD. After he built a sod house, the family (wife and three chldren) also came to SD in 1887. They moved to Astoria, Oregon in 1889, where Lillenas learned English and began writing song lyrics at an early age. In 1900 the family moved again to Roseville, MN, where he worked as a farm laborer and began attending a Lutheran high school at Hawick, MN. He sold a few songs at age 19. At age 21 he began writing more songs, encouraged by some earlier ones becoming popular (“He set me free” was one). His mother died in 1906 and his father returned to ND, but Li… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Great is the marvelous mystery of grace divine
Title:	The Great Atonement
Author:	Haldor Lillenas
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Marvelous, infinite mercy
Copyright:	Public Domain