Scripture Verse

What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:12–13

Introduction

portrait
John Newton (1725–1807)

Words: John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779), Book 1, num­ber 50. What shall I ren­der?

Music: Ala­me­da So­lo­mon W. Straub (1842–1899) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Straub (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

For mer­cies, count­less as the sands
Which dai­ly I re­ceive
From Je­sus, my Re­deem­er’s hands,
My soul, what canst thou give?

Alas! from such a heart as mine,
What can I bring Him forth?
My best is stained and dyed with sin,
My all is no­thing worth.

Yet this ac­know­ledg­ment I’ll make
For all He has be­stowed;
Salvation’s sa­cred cup I’ll take,
And call up­on my God.

The best re­turn for one like me,
So wretch­ed and so poor;
Is from His gifts to draw a plea,
And ask Him still for more.

I can­not serve him as I ought,
No works have I to boast;
Yet would I glo­ry in the thought
That I shall owe Him most.