Long recognized as the founder of Southern Presbyterianism and successor to Jonathan Edwards as President of Princeton University, Samuel Davies was first and foremost a preacher of the Gospel. In addition, he wrote many wonderful hymns for congregational worship. The best known and loved hymn, Great God of Wonders! is one of my favorites. Along with its great tune, SOVEREIGNTY, by John Newton, it makes for one of the most enjoyable worship experiences. Based on the text from Micah 7:18, Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity, the hymn begins by comparing all the differing works of God with His redemptive work of grace. The first stanza reminds me of the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus. That hymn is also one of comparisons. The meadows are fair, the woodlands are fairer still, but Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, Who makes the woeful heart to sing. The sunshine is fair, the moonlight is fairer still, but Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer Than all the angels heaven can boast.
So too the first stanza of Davies’ states some eternal truths: God is the Great God of wonders! And all of His ways are wonderful; they Are matchless, God-like, and divine. Have you ever paused to ponder the ways of God? How would you describe the wondrous works of God? What adjectives would you use? One word that Davies uses might come to mind quickly: divine. Surely the ways of God are divine. You might even choose the phrase, God-like. But what of his other term: matchless. What a word! There are few words that display the splendor of the ways of God as matchless. And it is just the right word to set up the comparison: Great God of wonders! All Thy ways Are matchless, God-like, and divine; But the fair glories of Thy grace More Godlike and unrivaled shine. When you compare all the ways of God with the redemptive work of His grace they pale in significance. His creation should lead you to worship Him; but His redemptive grace causes you to sing! His grace is fair; His grace is glorious. His grace is more God-like than any other work. Like what we saw in the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus, His grace shines brighter than the sunshine or the moonlight. There is nothing that compares with His grace; it, and it alone, is unrivaled.
Great God of wonders! All Thy ways
Are matchless, God-like, and divine;
But the fair glories of Thy grace
More Godlike and unrivaled shine,
More Godlike and unrivaled shine.
Who has such grace? Only the Great God of wonders, who alone has the omnipotence to pardon our sins. Out of the riches of His storehouse and out of the freedom of His love and power comes this unrivaled grace. The rhetorical question leads to the obvious answer.
Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
What have we done to require such a pardon? What kind of creatures are we that would demand such unrivaled grace? One of the stanzas, usually not included in American hymnals, helps to explain. Such dire offences to forgive, Such guilty, daring worms to spare. We are as worthless as worms, even worse, daring worms, full of such guilt that we are without help and without hope in this world. Our sins are so great, our offences so dire, that there is no promise of acquittal. The apostle Paul says that while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). It is God’s prerogative to grant acquittal and forgiveness. Davies says, This is Thy grand prerogative, And in the honour none shall share. Another stanza continues the thought of this last phrase. Angels and men, resign your claim To pity, mercy, love, and grace: These glories crown Jehovah’s Name With an incomparable blaze.
Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
On reflection of all of this, Davies helps us to articulate, in humility, our response to His grace. In wonder lost, with trembling joy, We take the pardon of our God; Pardon for crimes [sins] of deepest dye, A pardon bought [sealed] with Jesus’ blood, A pardon bought [sealed] with Jesus’ blood. There are far too few hymns in our contemporary culture which communicate so eloquently the act of faith. Most modern writers, and professors, take the pardon of our God all right, but few In wonder lost, with trembling joy! Few understand the depth of their depravity, the seriousness of their sins that demand such a pardon, a Pardon for crimes [sins] of deepest dye. Few understand that a pardon is needed that costs more than even Bill Gates could afford. What is needed is A pardon bought [sealed] with Jesus’ blood. You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver of gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18,19).
Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
On reflection of such mature meditation what should be the only response to God’s grace? Doxology! This grace is matchless, unrivaled, Godlike, it is the miracle of love. Do you share that view of God’s grace? Then your heart should overflow with the desire that those in heaven and earth will know such grace and thus worship the Great God of Wonders!
O may this strange, this matchless grace,
This Godlike miracle of love,
Fill the whole earth with grateful praise,
And all th’angelic choirs above,
And th’angelic choirs above.
Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
(Samuel Davies, 1723-1761)
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