’Tis Not That I Did Choose Thee

’Tis not that I did choose Thee

For Lord

that could not be;

This heart would still re­fuse Thee

Hadst Thou not chos­en me.

Thou from the sin that stained me

Hast cleansed and set me free;

Of old Thou hast or­dained me

That I should live to Thee.

’Twas sov­er­eign mer­cy called me

And taught my op­en­ing mind;

The world had else en­thralled me

To heav’n­ly glo­ries blind.

My heart owns none be­fore Thee

For Thy rich grace I thirst;

This know­ing

if I love Thee

Thou must have loved me first.