Scripture Verse

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:15

Introduction

Words: Charles J. But­ler, in Spi­ri­tu­al Songs for Gos­pel Meet­ings and the Sun­day School, ed­it­ed by Eli­sha A. Hoff­man & John H. Ten­ney (Cleve­land, Ohio: Bark­er & Smell­ie, 1878).

Music: Wi­no­na Lake Charles J. But­ler, 1878 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles J. Butler

Lyrics

I was once far away from the Sav­ior,
And as vile as a sin­ner could be,
I won­dered if Christ the Re­deem­er
Could save a poor sin­ner like me.

I wan­dered on in the dark­ness,
Not a ray of light I could see,
And the thought filled my heart with sad­ness,
There’s no help for a sin­ner like me.

And then, in that dark, lone­ly hour,
A voice sweet­ly whis­pered to me,
Saying Christ the Re­deem­er has pow­er
To save a poor sin­ner like me.

I list­ened, and lo! ’twas the Sav­ior
That was speak­ing so kind­ly to me;
I cried, I’m the chief of sin­ners;
Oh, save a poor sin­ner like me.

I then fully trust­ed in Je­sus;
And oh, what a joy came to me:
My heart was filled with His prais­es,
For saving a sin­ner like me.

No longer in dark­ness I’m walk­ing,
For the light is now shin­ing on me;
And now un­to oth­ers I’m tell­ing,
How He saved a poor sin­ner like me.

And when life’s jour­ney is over,
And I the dear Sav­ior shall see,
I’ll praise Him for­ev­er and ev­er,
For sav­ing a sin­ner like me.