O God, My Powers Are Thine

O GOD, MY POWERS ARE THINE

You shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Exodus 18:20

Words: F. Watson Hannan, 1911.

Music: Teacher’s Dedication Hymn Frank M. Jeffery (🔊 ).

If you know where to get a good photo of Hannan or Jeffery (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels), would you send us an e-mail?

The hymn O God, my powers are Thine, by Dr. F. Watson Hanna, pastor of the New York Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, was written while he was pastor of the Bushwick Avenue Central Methodist Episcopal Church, as a dedication hymn for teachers.

Every fall during his eight years pastorate of that church it was his custom to observe Sunday School Day as a Rally Day, when special exercises were held not only in the school but also in the morning congregational service.

A sermon was preached to teachers and a service of responsive reading was prepared in which the pastor and the teachers took part. After the sermon, a consecration service for the teachers was held, and for this service, Dr. Hanna always wrote a hymn, which was sung by the teachers as they stood around the altar.

The whole service was very impressive. The hymn, O God, my powers are thine, was the consecration hymn used on September 24, 1905.

Carl Fowler Price
The Christian Advocate, November 28, 1912

O God, my powers are Thine;
So may my service be;
Grant me the grace of love divine
To serve Thee steadfastly.

Thy sovereign right I own,
I seek Thy will and way;
All Thy commands to me make known,
That I may all obey.

Immortal souls to guard
Assist me by Thy grace;
That I present each one, O Lord,
Perfect before Thy face.

Thy holy Word my task
To love and teach and live,
That to inquiring souls that ask,
Thy answer I may give.

Here, Lord, I humbly bring
Both self and class to Thee;
Accept the offering, O my king,
And keep eternally.

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O GOD, MY POWERS ARE THINE

Scripture Verse

Introduction

Lyrics