You help make Hymnary.org possible. More than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources and encouragement on Hymnary.org in 2025, including you. Every visit affirms the global impact of this ministry.

If Hymnary has been meaningful to you this year, would you take a moment today to help sustain it? A gift of any size—paired with a note of encouragement if you wish—directly supports the server costs, research work and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org
Calvin University
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for your partnership, and may the hope of Advent fill your heart.

Search Results

Text Identifier:"^dear_lord_each_selfish_thought_we_think$"

Planning worship? Check out our sister site, ZeteoSearch.org, for 20+ additional resources related to your search.

Texts

text icon
Text authorities
TextPage scans

Dear Lord, Each Selfish Thought We Think

Author: Lucy Larcom Appears in 5 hymnals Lyrics: 1 Dear Lord, each selfish thought we think Puts us afar from thee; Into our own dark depths we sink, Where heaven can never be. 2 Teach us to know thee as thou art; To give as thou hast given! O show us how the loving heart May make this world a heaven! Used With Tune: ST. AGNES

Tunes

tune icon
Tune authorities
Page scansAudio

ST. AGNES

Appears in 1,192 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: John B. Dykes Incipit: 33323 47155 53225 Used With Text: Dear Lord, each selfish thought we think

Instances

instance icon
Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals
TextPage scan

Dear Lord, Each Selfish Thought We Think

Author: Lucy Larcom Hymnal: Worship and Song. (Rev. ed.) #153 (1921) Lyrics: 1 Dear Lord, each selfish thought we think Puts us afar from thee; Into our own dark depths we sink, Where heaven can never be. 2 Teach us to know thee as thou art; To give as thou hast given! O show us how the loving heart May make this world a heaven! Tune Title: ST. AGNES

Dear Lord, each selfish thought we think

Author: Lucy Larcom Hymnal: Worship and Song Edition B #ad52 (1916) Languages: English

Dear Lord, each selfish thought we think

Author: Lucy Larcom Hymnal: American Church and Church School Hymnal #d59 (1937) Languages: English

People

person icon
Authors, composers, editors, etc.

John Bacchus Dykes

1823 - 1876 Person Name: John B. Dykes Composer of "ST. AGNES" in Worship and Song. (Rev. ed.) As a young child John Bacchus Dykes (b. Kingston-upon-Hull' England, 1823; d. Ticehurst, Sussex, England, 1876) took violin and piano lessons. At the age of ten he became the organist of St. John's in Hull, where his grandfather was vicar. After receiving a classics degree from St. Catherine College, Cambridge, England, he was ordained in the Church of England in 1847. In 1849 he became the precentor and choir director at Durham Cathedral, where he introduced reforms in the choir by insisting on consistent attendance, increasing rehearsals, and initiating music festivals. He served the parish of St. Oswald in Durham from 1862 until the year of his death. To the chagrin of his bishop, Dykes favored the high church practices associated with the Oxford Movement (choir robes, incense, and the like). A number of his three hundred hymn tunes are still respected as durable examples of Victorian hymnody. Most of his tunes were first published in Chope's Congregational Hymn and Tune Book (1857) and in early editions of the famous British hymnal, Hymns Ancient and Modern. Bert Polman

Lucy Larcom

1824 - 1893 Author of "Dear Lord, Each Selfish Thought We Think" in Worship and Song. (Rev. ed.) Larcom, Lucy, was born at Beverley Farm, Massachusetts, in 1826. Her Poems were published in 1864. Her hymn, "When for me the silent oar" [Death Anticipated), was published in 1868. She died in 1893. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) =============== Larcom, Lucy, p. 1576, ii. The extended use of this writer's hymns justifies a more detailed account of her life and work than is given on p. 1576. She was born in 1824, and worked from 1837-45 in the mills of Lawrence, Mass., then engaged in elementary teaching 1846-49, became a student at Monticello Female Seminary, Alton, Ill., 1849-52, and then entered upon advanced teaching in higher-class schools, and literary work. She edited with J. G. Whittier, Child Life in Poetry, 1871; Child Life in Prose, 1873; Songs of Three Centuries, 1875, &c. Her own works are Poems, 1869; Childhood Songs, 1875; Wild Roses of Cape Ann, 1881; Poetical Works, 1885; At the Beautiful Gate; And Other Songs of Faith, 1892. Her autobiography was published as A New England Girlhood. She died in 1893. In addition to "When for me the silent oar," of her hymns the following are in common use:— i. From her Poems, 1869. 1. Hand in hand with angels. Angelic companion¬ship. 2. If the world seems cold to you. 3. When for me the silent oar. Death ii. From her Wild Roses of Cape Ann, 1881. 4. In Christ I feel the heart of God. 5. O Spirit, "Whose name is the Saviour.” in. From her Poetical Works, 1885. 6. Breaks the joyful Easter dawn, master. 7. Heavenly Helper, Friend Divine. Christ the Friend. iv. From her At the Beautiful Gate, &c, 1892. 8. Draw Thou, my soul, O Christ. Looking to Jesus. 9. O God, Thy world is sweet with prayer. Prayer. 10. Open your hearts as a flower to the light. 11. King, happy bells of Easter time. Easter. The above notes are from the British Museum copies of Miss Larcom's works. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.