Jesus Paid it All - Lyrics

1. I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."

Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

2. Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow'r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone. 

3. For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv'ry's Lamb. 

4. And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save,"
My lips shall still repeat. 

"Jesus Paid It All" is a tender and soul-stirring hymn that proclaims the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. With words of quiet confidence and reverent gratitude, it reminds believers that salvation is fully accomplished—not by human effort, but by the finished work of Jesus at Calvary.

🖋 Hymn Background

• Lyrics: Elvina M. Hall (1820–1889)

• Tune: John T. Grape (1835–1915)

• Year Written: 1865

The story behind "Jesus Paid It All" is simple but deeply moving. Elvina Hall was sitting in a pew at the Monument Street Methodist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, during a long pastoral prayer. Her heart was full of meditation on the cross and the cleansing power of Christ’s blood. Lacking paper, she penned the words of the hymn on the flyleaf of a hymnal.

Around the same time, the church’s organist, John Grape, had composed a new tune he titled “All to Christ I Owe.” When the pastor saw both the poem and the tune, he realized they were a perfect fit. The hymn was first published in 1865 and soon became a beloved staple in evangelical worship.

“Jesus Paid It All” is not just a statement of doctrine—it is a heart cry of someone who has tasted mercy. It speaks especially to the believer who feels weak, unworthy, or overwhelmed by the memory of past sin. The hymn gently shifts the focus off self and onto the Savior, reminding us that Jesus didn’t make a partial payment—He paid the full price.