The love of Christ exciting thankful devotion

O dearer to my thankful heart

Author: Anne Steele
Tune: KING OF KINGS (Martin)
Published in 2 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

O dearer to my thankful heart
Than all the circling sun surveys!
Thy presence only can impart
Light, peace, and gladness to my days.

Beneath thy soul-reviving ray,
Ev'n cold affliction wintery gloom
Shall brighten into vernal day,
And hopes and joys immortal bloom.

Vain world, be gone with all thy toys;
I have no room for trifles here:
My heart aspires to nobler joys;
Thy fairest glories disappear.

Bright realms of bliss, where Jesus reigns,
My wish, my care, my hope invite:
Where raptur'd seraphs tune their strains
To themes of infinite delight

See, Lord, thy willing subject bows
Adoring low before thy throne:
To thee, I gladly pay my vows;
Thou art my sovereign, thou alone.

Smile on my soul, and bid me sing,
In concert with the choir above,
The glories of my Saviour King,
The condescensions of his love.

Amazing love! that stoop'd so low,
To view with pity's melting eye
A wretch deserving endless woe!
Amazing love!—did Jesus die?—

He died, to raise to life and joy
The vile, the guilty, the undone,
O let his praise my hours employ,
Till hours no more their circles run!

He died!—ye seraphs tune your songs,
Resound, resound the Saviour's name:
For nought below immortal tongues
Can ever reach the wonderous theme.

Source: Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose #82

Author: Anne Steele

Anne Steele was the daughter of Particular Baptist preacher and timber merchant William Steele. She spent her entire life in Broughton, Hampshire, near the southern coast of England, and devoted much of her time to writing. Some accounts of her life portray her as a lonely, melancholy invalid, but a revival of research in the last decade indicates that she had been more active and social than what was previously thought. She was theologically conversant with Dissenting ministers and "found herself at the centre of a literary circle that included family members from various generations, as well as local literati." She chose a life of singleness to focus on her craft. Before Christmas in 1742, she declined a marriage proposal from contemporar… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O dearer to my thankful heart
Title: The love of Christ exciting thankful devotion
Author: Anne Steele
Language: English
Publication Date: 1780
Copyright: This text is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before 1929.

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #8700
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances

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The Cyber Hymnal #8700

Include 1 pre-1979 instance
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