Scripture Verse

I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 1 Corinthians 14:15

Introduction

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Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems 1749 (The True Use of Mu­sic).

Music: Ar­i­el Wolf­gang A. Mo­zart (1756–1791). Ar­ranged by Lo­well Ma­son, 1836 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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Lowell Mason (1792–1872)

Background

The con­ver­sion of Mrs. Rich [wife of the own­er of the Co­vent Gar­den The­a­tre]…in 1745 had giv­en Charles Wes­ley the en­try in­to the mu­sic­al world of Lon­don. As ma­ny years passed he be­came some­thing like a pri­vate chap­lain to ma­ny of the ce­le­bri­ties of the day…

Charles Wes­ley knew [actor Da­vid] Gar­rick well, and prob­ab­ly met Han­del at Mrs. Rich’s. The grow­ing re­pu­ta­tion of his own sons as or­gan­ists and com­pos­ers drew these ties still clos­er be­tween the Me­tho­dist cler­gy­man and the mu­sic­al ce­leb­ri­ties of his lat­er life.

Telford, p. 359

Lyrics

Jesus, Thou soul of all our joys,
For whom we now lift up our voice,
And all our strength exert;
Vouchsafe the grace we humbly claim,
Compose into a thankful frame,
And tune Thy people’s heart.

While in the heavenly work we join,
Thy glo­ry be our whole design,
Thy glo­ry, not our own:
Still let us keep our end in view,
And still the pleasing task pursue,
To please our God alone.

The secret pride, the subtle sin,
O let it ne­ver more steal in,
To offend Thy glo­ri­ous eyes,
To desecrate our hallowed strain,
And make our solemn service vain,
And mar our sacrifice!

To magnify Thy awful name,
To spread the honors of the Lamb,
Let us our voices raise;
Our souls’ and bodies’ powers unite,
Regardless of our own delight,
And dead to human praise.

Still let us on our guard be found,
And watch against the power of sound
With sacred jealousy;
Lest haply sense should damp our zeal,
And music’s charms bewitch and steal
Our hearts away from Thee.

That hurrying strife far oft remove,
That noisy burst of selfish love,
Which swells the formal song;
The joy from out our hearts arise,
And speak and sparkle in our eyes,
And vibrate on our tongue.

Thee let us praise, our common Lord,
And sweetly join with one accord
Thy goodness to pro­claim:
Jesus, Thy­self in us reveal,
And all our faculties shall feel
Thy harmonizing name.

With calmly reverential joy,
O let us all our lives employ
In setting forth Thy love;
And raise in death our triumph higher,
And sing with all the heavenly choir,
That endless song above!