Scripture Verse

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

Introduction

portrait
J. Lincoln Hall (1866–1930)

Words: Hal­dor Lil­le­nas, 1917.

Music: J. Lin­coln Hall (🔊 pdf nwc). Some hymn­als show the com­poser as Al­fred Jud­son, one of Hall’s pseu­do­nyms.

portrait
Haldor Lillenas (1885–1959)

Lyrics

Once I was bound by sin’s gall­ing fet­ters;
Chained like a slave, I strug­gled in vain.
But I re­ceived a glo­ri­ous freedom,
When Je­sus broke my fet­ters in twain.

Refrain

Glorious free­dom! Won­der­ful free­dom!
No more in chains of sin I re­pine!
Jesus the glo­ri­ous Eman­ci­pat­or—
Now and for­ev­er He shall be mine.

Freedom from all the car­nal af­fect­ions;
Freedom from en­vy, hat­red and strife;
Freedom from vain and world­ly am­bi­tions;
Freedom from all that sad­dened my life!

Refrain

Freedom from pride and all sin­ful fol­lies;
Freedom from love and glit­ter of gold;
Freedom from ev­il tem­per and an­ger;
Glorious free­dom, rap­ture un­told!

Refrain

Freedom from fear with all of its tor­ments;
Freedom from care with all of its pain;
Freedom in Christ, my bless­èd Re­deem­er—
He who has rent my fet­ters in twain.

Refrain