Scripture Verse

O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Psalm 139:1

Introduction

portrait
William Gardiner (1770–1853)
British Museum
cc-license

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719, alt. (orig­in­al­ly, In All My Vast Con­cerns with Thee).

Music: Bel­mont Sac­red Me­lo­dies, by Will­iam Gar­di­ner, 1812 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Lyrics

Lord, all I am is known to Thee:
In vain my soul would try
To shun Thy presence, or to flee
The notice of Thine eye.

Thy all surrounding sight surveys
My rising and my rest,
My public walks, my private ways,
The secrets of my breast.

My thoughts lie open to Thee, Lord,
Before they’re formed within;
And ere my lips pronounce the word,
Thou knowest the sense I mean.

O wondrous knowledge! deep and high:
Where can a creature hide?
Within Thy circling arms I lie,
Beset on every side.

So let Thy grace surround me still,
And like a bulwark prove,
To guard my soul from every ill,
Secured by sovereign love.