I Will Sing the Wondrous Story

The Story behind the "Wondrous Story"

Francis H. Rowley wrote the words to this hymn in 1886 while he was a Baptist Minister in Massachusetts. Rowley endeavored to preach the Gospel clearly, focusing his energy there, and that passion shows in the hymn’s message.

Rowley was born in Ohio in 1854, a time when gospel hymn writing exploded across America, along with several revivals. He grew up in a Christian environment that taught the Bible and valued signing to God. He sensed a call to be a pastor at an early age. Rowley spent much of his life caring for people on the local level, unlike some hymn writers who were musicians first. His writing flowed from his calling.

Peter P. Bilhorn worked with popular evangelist Dwight L. Moody and song leader Ira Sankey. With these dynamic individuals, Bilhorn participated in one of the largest revival movements of his time. As a musician, Bilhorn did a great job writing simple melodies ordinary people could learn quickly and remember. His music focused on teaching and engaging the congregation. This helped his hymns spread rapidly through churches and revival meetings.

When Bilhorn placed Rowley’s powerful Gospel lyrics with his tune, "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story" quickly became popular and gained traction throughout American churches of the day.
 

What Inspired "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story"?

America went through a great deal of social and political change through the mid 1800s, continuing through the end of the century. Post-Civil War America faced new challenges as slavery ended and westward expansion ramped up. In the midst of this time, many revival movements occurred through the growing evangelical tradition, emphasizing preaching, personal salvation, and testimony.

As a product of this time, Rowley wanted to give believers words they could use to sing and declare what Christ had done for them, both in the church and elsewhere. They hymn’s “wondrous story” refers to the evangelical Gospel core—Jesus seeks the lost, redeems sinners through his blood, and brings them safely to heaven. Rather than using abstract or academic theological terms, Rowley included more relational and personal language, like Christ as the Good Shepherd who finds the wandering sheep.

These phrases weren’t wholly original; they came from Scripture. The parables of the lost sheep and coin come from Luke 15, and Rowley used them to express the joy of being found by Jesus and the security of being kept by him. As a pastor, a caretaker, he wrote from this heart, aiming to encourage Christians who feel distant from God. The hymn assures believers that Christ not only saves but also sustains his people.

New songs always accompany new movements. Much of the congregational singing in the early 1800s came from centuries earlier, the Protestant and liturgical expressions of Martin Luther and the Reformation age. As the new evangelicals brought their passion to the church, they sought hymns and songs, more contemporary and modern, to accompany their revival meetings. This broader revival culture of the 19th century also influenced “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story.”

Of course, Rowley didn’t want people to only understand the Gospel. He wanted people to sing it as a praise to God and a message to others.
 

How Has “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story” Been Used in Worship?

Churches have used this hymn since it’s debut. From the very beginning, congregations enjoyed and embraced the song, exactly as Rowley and Bilhorn intended: a clear message and singable melody.

During the height of the revival movements, song leaders would include “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story” alongside the work of Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey. Churches would use it to lead up to the message or perhaps as a response to the sermon, using the words to embed the ideas of truth in the attendees' minds and hearts. The refrain soars and lifts the spirits, telling of how Christ has ransomed and keeps them.

Hymnals developed at the start of the 20th century, and many evangelical denominations included this song (including the hymnals my church had in the 80s). Choirs arranged it for special music, and congregations sang it together. The song was powerful and simple enough to use to explain the Gospel to children as well. In many churches, it became a familiar hymn to close the service or even an “altar call.”

Today, churches still use “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story” in more traditional evangelical churches or services. Some sing it in the original form with piano or organ. In more contemporary churches, the song leaders might adapt it with acoustic guitars or other pop/rock instrumentation. Worship leaders will choose it for services like communion or baptism, or maybe accompanying messages with themes of rescue and restoration.
 

What Can We Learn about Praise from “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story”?

A main theme of the hymn is redemption. The song places the Gospel of Jesus into a story framework, one of a Savior who seeks the lost, redeems us through his blood, and continues to keep us in his care. Through singing these truths, while reading and hearing them at the same time, we rehearse and better remember the Gospel. Singing becomes a way of preaching to our own hearts and minds, and to others. True worship must be done in truth, especially the finished work of Christ for salvation.

As the evangelicals find important, the next key theme is developing a personal testimony. Evangelicals took the Great Commission from Matthew 28 seriously, the instruction from Jesus to go out and preach the Gospel and baptize believers. Evangelicals still do. Phrases like “He will keep me” and “He sought me” calls us to own the story. God didn’t just seek sinners, he sought me. The hymn leads us to step into the Gospel narrative ourselves, not just an event happening in the past, and to own it for ourselves. Singing this song becomes both corporate and individual.

Most hymns from this era had a final verse about life after death, the reward waiting for those who believe and follow Jesus faithfully to the end. Like all those, “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story” closes with themes of perseverance and assurance. The hymn points us forward to the day when we will be brought safely to eternity, giving us an eternal hope. This hope connects with our present worship. We don’t only look back at the cross and resurrection. These are eternal realities we live within now and will experience forever. We look ahead to that glory.

Since the throne of God is our destiny as his children, our singing today connects with what happens around God right now and will happen in the future. Scripture describes heaven as a place where beings give God unending praise (Revelation 5). When we sing the “wondrous story” in our time, we join that activity and chorus. Our voices echo the redeemed across all time, declaring the worthiness of the Lamb who was slain.

Therefore, our worship today isn’t isolated or temporary. It participates in the unseen reality more real than what we see. What we see is temporary and will fall away. What is eternal will remain, including the activity of praise. Each time we sing the truth of the Gospel, we participate in our forever life. Singing is part of our identity.

This means our worship today is not isolated or temporary. It is a foretaste of eternity. Each time the church sings, we align ourselves with heaven’s reality, rehearsing the song we will sing forever. The hymn teaches us that singing is not just something we do—it is part of who we are as redeemed people.

Peace.

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