He Giveth More Grace
Words: Annie Johnson Flint (b. Dec. 24, 1866; d. Sept. 8:1932)
Music: Hubert Mitchell (b. ____, 1907; d. ____, 1995)
Note: Annie Johnson Flint entitled her original poem simply “He Giveth More.” Sometimes you see the last line of the first stanza of this superb hymn as “To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.” But Miss Flint’s original was “To multiplied trials His multiplied peace” (i.e. To multiplied trials [He addeth] His multiplied peace.)
The tune I’ve seen most often used with Miss Flint’s poem is not included on the Cyber Hymnal. It was written by Hubert Mitchell (1907-1995), and uses the third stanza as a repeated refrain.
(1) He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labours increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
The Mitchells worked together with evangelist Paul Rader. Hubert was his music director, played the accordion and piano, and led the singing. He and Helen sang duets together, and she sang solos. Hubert and his wife later served as missionaries in Indonesia. Helen died there in 1940, giving birth to their daughter Jean. This left Hubert with four children to care for. The words of “He Giveth More” were a great comfort to him. After being recalled (reluctantly) from the field, because of the War, Hubert Mitchell remarried, and served for many years with Youth for Christ.
(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)
The word “grace” in its various forms is found dozens of times in the Word of God. It speaks of the freely given favour and blessing of God. The Bible speaks of “great grace” (Acts 4:33), and an “abundance of grace” (Rom. 5:17). In fact, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom. 5:20). Whatever the need, “He giveth more grace” (Jas. 4:6, KJV, the text that inspired Miss Flint’s poem.
Though there was grace from the very beginning–otherwise sinners in Old Testament times had no hope of salvation–the grace of God was poured forth as a veritable flood with the coming of Christ. The Son of God was “full of grace and truth….And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace [grace heaped upon grace]. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:14, 16-17).
The believer is given an invitation to avail himself of God’s wonderful grace, whenever it is needed. His throne (and thus His rule over us) is characterized by grace. He delights to give to us, and give freely. And the “grace” He gives can be defined as divine enablement, the ability to face and to cope with our problems, the ability to fulfil our service for Him, and so on.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but [He, Christ] was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Heb. 4:15-16
Paul’s testimony was:
“By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
I Cor. 15:10
The second stanza of Annie Johnson Flint’s great hymn, especially combined with what, in Mitchell’s setting, is the refrain, is simply overwhelming. It’s difficult to conceive of a more powerful statement of how the Lord abundantly meets our need.
(2) When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
Questions:
- What need has the Lord met in your life, by His grace, during the past week?
- Paul speaks of “the riches” and “the exceeding riches” of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7; 2:7). What all would you include in those riches?
Links:
- 24 December 1866 – Annie Flint Born
- He Giveth More Grace (The Cyber Hymnal)
