Scripture Verse

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4

Introduction

Words: Eli­za­beth H. Reed, in The Hymn Book, 1842.

Music: We­ber, in Har­mon­ia Sac­ra, 12th edi­tion, 1867 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

O that I could for ever dwell,
Delighted, at the Sav­ior’s feet,
Behold the form I love so well,
And all His tender words repeat.

The world shut out from all my soul,
And Heav’n brought in with all its bliss—
O is there aught from pole to pole,
One moment to compare to this!

This is the hidden life I prize—
A life of penitential love;
When most my follies I despise,
And raise my highest thoughts above.

Thus would I live till nature fail,
And all my former sins forsake;
Then rise to God within the veil,
And of eter­nal joys partake.