Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower (Wesley)

Thee will I love

my strength

my tow­er

Thee will I love

my joy

my crown

Thee will I love with all my pow­er

In all Thy works

and Thee alone;

Thee will I love

till the pure fire

Fill my whole soul with chaste de­sire.

Ah

why did I so late Thee know

Thee

love­li­er than the sons of men!

Ah

why did I no soon­er go

To Thee

the on­ly ease in pain!

Ashamed

I sigh

and in­ly mourn

That I so late to Thee did turn.

In dark­ness will­ing­ly I strayed

I sought Thee

yet from Thee I roved;

Far wide my wan­der­ing thoughts were spread

Thy crea­tures more than Thee I loved;

And now if more at length I see

’Tis through Thy light and comes from Thee.

I thank Thee

un­cre­at­ed sun

That Thy bright beams on me have shined;

I thank Thee

who hast ov­er­thrown

My foes

and healed my wound­ed mind;

I thank Thee

whose en­liv­en­ing voice

Bids my freed heart in Thee re­joice.

Uphold me in the doub­tful race

Nor suf­fer me again to stray;

Strengthen my feet with stea­dy pace

Still to press for­ward in Thy way;

My soul and flesh

O Lord of might

Fill

sa­ti­ate

with Thy hea­ve­nly light.

Give to mine eyes re­fresh­ing tears

Give to my heart chaste

hal­lowed fires

Give to my soul

with fi­li­al fears

The love that all Heav­en’s host in­spires;

That all my pow­ers

with all their might

In Thy sole glo­ry may unite.

Thee will I love

my joy

my crown

Thee will I love

my Lord

my God;

Thee will I love

be­neath Thy frown

Or smile

Thy scep­ter

or Thy rod;

What though my flesh and heart de­cay?

Thee shall I love in end­less day!