Scripture Verse

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. 1 Peter 3:15

Introduction

Words: Er­nest G. Wes­ley, in The Me­tho­dist Sun­day School Hym­nal (New York: Me­tho­dist Book Con­cern, 1911), num­ber 148.

Music: Ler­man Jo­seph W. Ler­man, 1911 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ler­man (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), or a bet­ter one of Wes­ley,

portrait
Ernest Wesley (1847–1929)

Origin of the Hymn

[This hymn] was wri­tten one day for a spe­cial ser­vice, for which [Wes­ley] could not find just the ap­prop­ri­ate hymn. It is based on a phrase fre­quent­ly used by the ev­an­gel­ist E. P. Ham­mond in his child­ren’s meet­ings, which the au­thor of this hymn at­tend­ed ma­ny years since.

Carl Fowler Price
The Chris­tian Ad­vo­cate, No­vem­ber 28, 1912

Lyrics

Jesus, take this heart of mine;
Cleanse from sin and make it Thine.
Thou for me hast bled and died;
I to Thee my heart con­fide.

Refrain

Jesus, take this heart of mine,
Make it ever, whol­ly Thine;
May I dai­ly watch and pray:
Never from Thy path to stray.

Jesus, take these hands of mine;
Hold them in Thy pow­er di­vine;
Safe am I when led by Thee,
I Thy child would ev­er be.

Refrain

Jesus, take these feet of mine;
May they to Thy paths in­cline;
May I ne­ver from Thee stray;
Keep me faith­ful day by day.

Refrain

Jesus, take this heart of mine;
May it with Thy glo­ry shine;
I would live for Thee alone;
Make me, keep me, all Thine own.

Refrain