Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.
Psalm 139:23
Words: J. Edwin Orr, 1936. Orr wrote these words at a revival meeting in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand, taking less than five minutes to put them down on paper.
Music: Maori, attributed to Clement Scott, a missionary in Chi Nyanja, Africa (🔊 pdf nwc).
Alternate Tunes:
Origin of the Song
The tune [Maori] was adapted from
Swiss Cradle Songby Clement Scott. It was released by the Australian music company W. H. Paling and Co. in 1913.It was then adapted in New Zealand for a farewell song for Maori soldiers beginning in World War I, modified with the words
This is the hour,used as a waltz tune, and then picked up in 1945 by singer Gracie Fields with the wordsNow is the hour.It was also recorded by Bing Crosby, Kate Smith and Eddy Howard.
Dianne Shapiro
The Hymnary
Accessed 19 Sep 2019
Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free.
I praise Thee, Lord,
For cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word,
And make me pure within.
Fill me with fire
Where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire
To magnify Thy name.
Lord, take my life,
And make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart
With Thy great love divine.
Take all my will,
My passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord
In me abide.
O Holy Ghost,
Revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival,
Start the work in me.
Thy Word declares
Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now,
O Lord, I humbly plead.