Search me, O God! my act­ions try,
And let my life ap­pear
As seen by Thine all search­ing eye—
To mine my ways make clear.

Search all my sense and know my heart,
Who on­ly canst make known,
And let the deep, the hid­den part,
To me be ful­ly shown.

Throw light in­to the dark­ened cells
Where pass­ions reign with­in;
Quicken my con­science till it feels
The loath­some­ness of sin.

Search all my thoughts, the sec­ret springs,
The mo­tives that con­trol;
The cham­bers where pol­lut­ed things
Hold em­pire o’er the soul.

Search, till Thy fie­ry glance hast cast
Its ho­ly light thro’ all,
And I by grace am brought at last
Before Thy face to fall.

Thus pros­trate, I shall learn of Thee
What I now feeb­ly prove,
That God alone in Christ can be
Unutterable love.