Wonderful Words of Life Lyrics Philip P. Bliss, 1874
3 verses and a refrain, public domain, free to print and project.
The words
Verse 1. Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life,
Words of life and beauty,
Teach me faith and duty.
Refrain Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.
Verse 2. Christ the blessed One gives to all
Wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call,
Wonderful words of life;
All so freely given,
Wooing us to heaven.
Verse 3. Sweetly echo the gospel call,
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior,
Sanctify forever.
Sing the refrain after every verse.
Words copied from The Otterbein Hymnal (1892). They were published in 1874, so they are in the public domain in the United States, and your church may print them, show them and sing them without a license.
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The story behind Wonderful Words of Life
Philip P. Bliss wrote this song in 1874 for the first issue of Words of Life, a Sunday school paper published in Chicago by Fleming H. Revell. Bliss helped produce the paper. No copy of that issue is known to survive, so the earliest known songbook printing is Songs for Sunday Schools and Gospel Meetings, published in Boston in 1876.
The song spread through the revival circuit. In March 1877 James and Addie McGranahan sang it at a Chicago noon prayer meeting, and the Chicago Tribune reported it. In 1878 it appeared in Ira Sankey's Gospel Hymns No. 3 and in the British Sacred Songs and Solos No. 2. Charles Spurgeon used the song's wording in a sermon on Luke 2:48-49 in 1882.
Bliss did not live to see most of that. He and his wife, Lucy, died in a train derailment at the Ashtabula River in Ohio in December 1876. This page offers no story about what prompted the song, because none of the sources opened today records one.
The tune WORDS OF LIFE is also by Bliss. It moves in a waltz-like triple meter, and Hymnary.org lists it in F major. The Hymnology Archive connects the theme to Peter's reply in John 6:68, where he tells Jesus that he has the words of eternal life.
Philip P. Bliss
1838-07-09 to 1876-12-30
Philip P. Bliss was born in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He left home young to work on farms and in lumber camps, and he was converted at a revival at age twelve. He taught music and went to Chicago in 1864 to work for George F. Root. Around 1871 he became choirman and Sunday school superintendent at First Congregational Church in Chicago. In 1874 he joined the evangelist D. W. Whittle. He wrote the words and tune of Man of Sorrows, What a Name. He and his wife died in a railway disaster at Ashtabula, Ohio, on December 30, 1876.
Philip P. Bliss
1838-07-09 to 1876-12-30
Philip P. Bliss was born in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He left home young to work on farms and in lumber camps, and he was converted at a revival at age twelve. He taught music and went to Chicago in 1864 to work for George F. Root. Around 1871 he became choirman and Sunday school superintendent at First Congregational Church in Chicago. In 1874 he joined the evangelist D. W. Whittle. He wrote the words and tune of Man of Sorrows, What a Name. He and his wife died in a railway disaster at Ashtabula, Ohio, on December 30, 1876.
- Hymnology Archive: Sing them over again to me , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org: WORDS OF LIFE (Bliss) , read 2026-10-16
- Hymnary.org: Philip P. Bliss , read 2026-10-16
Scripture in Wonderful Words of Life
The Bible passages behind the words, with the verse of the hymn that draws on each.
- John 6:68 In verse 68 of the hymn
- Psalm 119:93
- Luke 2:48-49
Wonderful Words of Life videos
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Wonderful Words Of Life • Congregational Daniel Baptist, Congregation
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Wonderful Words of Life - Philip P. Bliss & Greg Gilpin Hope Publishing, Choir
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Wonderful Words of Life | God So Loved the World Fountainview Academy Orchestra & Singers, Choir
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Wonderful Words of life | Jehovah Shalom Acapella | Christ in Hymns. JEHOVAH SHALOM A CAPELLA, A cappella
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Wonderful Words of Life - piano instrumental hymn Kaleb Brasee, Piano
Videos play from YouTube, and nothing loads from YouTube until you press play. A video may sing different verses from the ones printed on this page.
Print and project
Chords and keys
Hymnals print it in F.
Questions people ask
What is Wonderful Words of Life about?
The song celebrates the gospel and the Bible as words that give life. The Hymnology Archive links it to Peter's words in John 6:68 and to Psalm 119:93.
Who wrote Wonderful Words of Life?
Philip P. Bliss wrote the words and the tune in 1874. He wrote it for the first issue of the Sunday school paper Words of Life.
When did the song become popular?
It spread after Ira Sankey included it in Gospel Hymns No. 3 in 1878. Its earliest known songbook printing is from 1876.
Is Wonderful Words of Life in the public domain?
Yes. The words are public domain in the United States, first published in 1874 and printed in a songbook by 1876. The tune WORDS OF LIFE dates to 1874 and is public domain as well.
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