I love Thee, Lord; this I rejoice Thou knowest,
Omniscient Searcher of the human heart,
Tho’ of all saints I be the least and lowest,
Yet am I Thine, for Thou my Master art.
Thou lovest me; O Thou immortal Lover!
Surpassing every other love is Thine;
This makes my cup of happiness run over,
The thought that “I am Thine,” not “Thou art mine.”
To me that fact the fullest joy hath given,
To me who have Thy trust so often failed;
Another than Thyself my soul had driven
Where my repentance never had availed.
I love Thee, Lord; I covet to be near Thee,
Am happy only when alone with Thee:
Sweet is Thy voice! Oh, how I love to hear Thee
Tell of the Father’s deep desires for me!
Thou lovest me; the cross the proof eternal
Of love that leads me to unrivalled rest;
This like a flower that blooms forever vernal
Fills with its fragrance heavenly my breast.
Thou lovest me; I could not, dare not doubt Thee;
Thy deep desire is toward me, I am Thine.
Not only gladly have I heard about Thee,
My inmost soul well knows Thy voice divine.
That quickening voice that sweeter far is speaking
Than all the music of the heavenly spheres,
Healing the heart that is thro’ anguish breaking,
Wiping from fevered faces bitter tears.
That voice—Oh, let my heart be ever hearing:
Open to its sweet accents keep mine ear,
Until shall dawn the day of Thine appearing,
When Thou shalt speak and all the earth shall hear.
Then shall I know, as in this darkness never,
How infinite Thy matchless love to me,
And how impossible it is to sever,
Or weaken cords that bind my heart to Thee.
O everlasting Lover, scorned, rejected,
Well-spring of life within this weary waste,
Despised, dishonoured, mocked, maligned, neglected,
By those who unto death’s dark waters haste.
Thou lovest me; Thou hast my heart’s devotion
Won thro’ the work that brought Thy love to light,
In this I dwell as in a shoreless ocean
Until the day I walk with Thee in white.
With Thee in white thro’ fields of fadeless glory,
With Thee in white upon the street of Gold,
From Thine own lips to hear Thy love’s sweet story
As never mortal yet the tale has told.
Thou lovest me; Oh, bliss beyond all measure!
Its depth unfathomed, length and breadth and height.
The love that made me Thine my soul shall treasure
Forever in the realm of living light.