Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge
1702–1751

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 246: Ap­peal to Christ for the sin­cer­i­ty of love to Him.

Music: How­ard (Cuth­bert) Eliz­a­beth H. Cuth­bert, 1814 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Cuth­bert (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

Lyrics

Do not I love Thee, O my Lord?
Behold my heart and see;
And turn each cursèd idol out,
That dares to rival Thee.

Do not I love Thee from my soul?
Then let me nothing love;
Dead be my heart to every joy,
When Jesus cannot move.

Is not Thy name melodious still
To mine attentive ear?
Doth not each pulse with pleasure bound
My Savior’s voice to hear?

Hast Thou a lamb in all Thy flock
I would disdain to feed?
Hast Thou a foe, before whose face
I fear Thy cause to plead?

Would not mine ardent spirit vie
With angels round the throne,
To execute Thy sacred will,
And make Thy glory known?

Would not my heart pour forth its blood
In honor of Thy name?
And challenge the cold hand of death
To damp th’immortal flame?

Thou know’st I love Thee, dearest Lord,
But O! I long to soar
Far from the sphere of mortal joys,
And learn to love Thee more!