My God, Permit Me Not to Be

My God

per­mit me not to be

A strang­er to my­self and Thee;

Amidst a thou­sand thoughts I rove

Forgetful of my high­est love.

Why should my pas­sions mix with earth

And thus de­base my heav’n­ly birth?

Why should I cleave to things be­low

And let my God

my Sav­ior

go?

Call me away from flesh and sense

One sov­er­eign word can draw me thence;

I would ob­ey the voice di­vine

And all in­fe­ri­or joys re­sign.

Be earth with all her scenes with­drawn

Let noise and van­ity be­gone;

In sec­ret si­lence of the mind

My heav’n

and there my God

I find.