Here’s an excellent hymn to begin a new year. Elvina M. Hall (1820-1889) wrote “Jesus Paid It All” on a fly leaf of the hymnal of her Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1865. Perhaps that means it was written in response to a sermon or Scripture reading during the service. It reads like such a response.

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. [Refrain]

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. [Refrain]

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