Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
Theology & Meaning
John Newton's 1774 text, set to a joyful contemporary arrangement by Sovereign Grace Music (Bob Kauflin), is a sustained act of wonder at the gospel. The four actions of the title — love, sing, wonder, tell — trace the natural responses of a heart that has grasped what Christ has done. The verses work through the cross, the resurrection, and the present reign of Christ, arriving at a doxological overflow that is neither forced nor artificial but the only proportionate response to grace this large. Newton, who wrote out of personal knowledge of radical forgiveness, gives the wonder an autobiographical authenticity.
Worship Leadership Tips
This song is a gift in any context where you want a congregation to recover their wonder at the gospel rather than treat it as assumed background. It pairs naturally with a message on Romans 5:8-11 or Galatians 6:14, and works powerfully as a response to a service where Christ's atoning work has been the focus. Sovereign Grace Music's arrangement makes it accessible to contemporary congregations that might otherwise resist an 18th-century text; the joyful, driving feel carries people forward even before they have fully absorbed every line.
Arrangement Tips
Sovereign Grace Music's arrangement is guitar-driven and rhythmically engaging — not traditional in feel despite the text's antiquity. The G major key is comfortable and bright. Keep the energy consistent rather than trying to build toward a climactic moment; the song is more of a sustained declaration than a graduated ascent. Allow the congregation to find the melody in the first verse; by the second or third, most will have it and the singing will open up.
Scripture References
- Revelation 5:9-12
- Galatians 6:14
- Romans 5:8-11
- 1 Peter 1:8-9