Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
By George Herbert (1593–1633)Praise
| KING 1 of Glory, King of Peace, | |
| I will love Thee: | |
| And that love may never cease, | |
| I will move Thee. | |
| Thou hast granted my request, | 5 |
| Thou hast heard me: | |
| Thou didst note my working breast, | |
| Thou hast spar’d me. | |
| Wherefore with my utmost art | |
| I will sing Thee, | 10 |
| And the cream of all my heart | |
| I will bring Thee. | |
| Though my sins against me cried, | |
| Thou didst clear me; | |
| And alone, when they replied, | 15 |
| Thou didst hear me. | |
| Sev’n whole days, not one in seven, | |
| I will praise Thee. | |
| In my heart, though not in heaven, | |
| I can raise Thee. | 20 |
| Thou grew’st soft and moist with tears, | |
| Thou relentedst: | |
| And when Justice call’d for fears, | |
| Thou dissentedst. | |
| Small it is, in this poor sort | 25 |
| To enrol Thee, | |
| Ev’n eternity is too short | |
| To extol Thee. |
| Note 1. Line 4—“I will pray to Thee to prevent my love ceasing.” Line 25.—“After all this talk of praise, my praise is a poor thing: if continued for ever, it would fall short of expressing Thy mercy.” [back] |