Scripture Verse

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts. Psalm 139:23

Introduction

Words: Ot­ti­well He­gin­bo­thom, Hymns, 1794.

Music: Pie­ty in Har­mon­ia Sac­ra, by Jo­seph Funk, fifth edi­tion, 1851. At­trib­ut­ed to C. J. Stan­ley (🔊 pdf nwc). Note: A Com­mon Me­ter tune can al­so be used with these words, by omit­ting the re­peat­ed lines in each verse.

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of He­gin­bo­thom or Stan­ley (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Blest Je­sus, when my soar­ing thoughts
O’er all Thy grac­es rove,
O’er all Thy grac­es rove,
How is my soul in trans­port lost—
How is my soul in trans­port lost—
In wonder, joy and love.

Not soft­est strains can charm mine ears
Like Thy be­lov­èd name,
Like Thy be­lov­èd name!
Nor aught be­neath the skies in­spire,
Nor aught be­neath the skies in­spire,
My heart with eq­ual flame.

Where’er I look, my won­der­ing eyes
Unnumbered bless­ings see!
Unnumbered bless­ings see!
But what is life with all its bliss!
But what is life with all its bliss!
If once com­pared to Thee!

Hast Thou a ri­val in my breast?
Search, Lord, for Thou canst tell,
Search, Lord, for Thou canst tell,
If aught can raise my pass­ions thus,
If aught can raise my pass­ions thus,
Or please my soul so well.