Jesus Paid It All

Grade Level 4

Year: 2021

Composer: James Curnow

Program Notes:

Elvina Hall (1820-1889) conceived the words to “Jesus Paid It All” during a church service. As her mind wondered to thoughts of the price Jesus paid for our salvation, the words came to her. Having no paper to write the words down, she wrote these words in the flyleaf of her hymnbook: 

Jesus paid it all, 

All to Him I owe; 

Sin had left a crimson stain, 

He washed it white as snow. 

An extraordinary act of providence took place when she handed the words to her pastor after the service. Organist John Grape (1835- 1915) had also recently given a new tune (“All to Thee”) to the same pastor with no words. The pastor quickly saw that the tune and lyrics fit together, and he brought them together in this beloved hymn of the church.

American Instrumental Ensemble Series (AIES/ABES)

[AIES2021]