Fervent in Spirit

Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower, Thee will I love my joy, my crown (Wesley)

Translator: John Wesley; Author: Angelus Silesius (1657)
Published in 164 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI, Recording

Representative Text

1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower;
thee will I love, my joy, my crown;
thee will I love with all my power,
in all thy works, and thee alone:
thee will I love, till sacred fire
fill my whole soul with pure desire.

2 I thank thee, uncreated Sun,
that thy bright beams on me have shined;
I thank thee, who hast overthrown
my foes, and healed my wounded mind;
I thank thee, whose enlivening voice
bids my freed heart in thee rejoice.

3 Uphold me in the doubtful race,
nor suffer me again to stray;
strengthen my feet, with steady pace
still to press forward in thy way;
that all my powers, with all their might,
in thy sole glory may unite.

4 Thee will I love, my joy, my crown;
thee will I love, my Lord, my God;
thee will I love, beneath thy frown
or smile -- thy sceptre or thy rod;
what though my flesh and heart decay,
thee shall I love in endless day.

Source: Common Praise (1998) #441

Translator: John Wesley

John Wesley, the son of Samuel, and brother of Charles Wesley, was born at Epworth, June 17, 1703. He was educated at the Charterhouse, London, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He became a Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and graduated M.A. in 1726. At Oxford, he was one of the small band consisting of George Whitefield, Hames Hervey, Charles Wesley, and a few others, who were even then known for their piety; they were deridingly called "Methodists." After his ordination he went, in 1735, on a mission to Georgia. The mission was not successful, and he returned to England in 1738. From that time, his life was one of great labour, preaching the Gospel, and publishing his commentaries and other theological works. He died in London, in 17… Go to person page >

Author: Angelus Silesius

Pen name of Johann Scheffler… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower, Thee will I love my joy, my crown (Wesley)
Title: Fervent in Spirit
German Title: Ich will Dich lieben, meine Stärke
Translator: John Wesley
Author: Angelus Silesius (1657)
Meter: 8.8.8.8.8.8
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

This is John Wesley's rendering of the hymn by "Angelus Silesius" and is "a very beautiful and faithful translation, which omits only one verse of the original." ... We are indebted to "the pietests of Halle," and especicaly to Freylinghausen for the use of [Scheffler's] hymns by the Evangelical Church.

English Hymns: their authors and history by Samuel Willoughby Duffield, Funk & Wagnalls, 1886

Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #6999
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  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 164)
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A Choice Selection of Evangelical Hymns, from various authors #293

A Collection of Hymns Adapted to the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church #d572

A Collection of Hymns Adapted to the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church Including the Whole Collection of the Rev. J. Wesley #ad572

A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social and Domestic Worship #d835

A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social and Domestic Worship #d841

A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social, and Domestic Worship #d842

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A Collection of Hymns for Public, Social, and Domestic Worship #571

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A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church #244

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A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Episcopal Church #244

A Collection of Hymns for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. with a Supplement #d593

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A Collection of Hymns, for the Use of the People Called Methodists, with a Supplement #210

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A Collection of Hymns #L204

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A Collection of Hymns #244

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A Collection of Hymns #208

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, for Social and Private Worship (Rev. ed. with supplement) #610

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A Pocket hymn book, designed as a constant companion for the pious #LV

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A Pocket Hymn Book #LV

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A Pocket hymn-book, designed as a constant companion for the pious #LV

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A Pocket Hymn-book #55

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A Pocket Hymn-Book #LV

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A Selection of Hymns for Worship (2nd ed.) #82

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A Selection of Spiritual Songs #591

Ambassador Hymnal #473

Book of Common Praise #d566

Calvary Selection of Spiritual Songs with Music for the Church and the Choir #d877

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Church Book #408

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Church Book #408

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Church Hymns and Tunes #338

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Church Hymns #563

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Common Praise (1998) #441

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Common Praise #442

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Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church #301

Congregational Singing Book #d62

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David's Companion #46a

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Devotional hymns #263

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Divine Hymns, or Spiritual Songs #73

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Divine Hymns, or Spiritual Songs #LXXIII

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Harmonia Sacra #136

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Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) #474

Hymn Book of the Holiness Movement Church #d498

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South #474

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (2nd ed.) #672

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Hymn book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (4th ed.) #672

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Hymnal Amore Dei #15

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Hymnal and Canticles of the Protestant Episcopal Church with Music (Gilbert & Goodrich) #461

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Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church #494

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Hymnal and Order of Service #300

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book with Accompanying Tunes (Second Edition) #483

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #430

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #483

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Hymnal for the Sunday School #75

Hymnal for the Sunday School. Rev. #d202

Hymnal of the Evangelical Church. Word ed. #d743

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Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church #203

Hymnal of the Reformed Episcopal Church, adopted in General Council, Chicago, May 1879 #d304

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Hymnal with Music for Children #111

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Hymnal with Music for Children #111

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Hymnal, Amore Dei #15

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Hymnal, Amore Dei. Rev. ed. #a15

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Hymnal #461

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Hymnal #461

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Hymnal #300

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Hymns and Offices of Worship #132

Hymns and Songs for Church Schools #d184

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #570

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Hymns for Christian Melody #526

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Hymns for the Christian Church, for the Use of the First Church of Christ in Boston #178

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Hymns for the Church on Earth #66

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Hymns for the Sanctuary and Social Worship #573

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Hymns for the use of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, by the Authority of the Ministerium of Pennsylvania #426

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #485a

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #485b

Hymns of Devotion #d206

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Hymns of the Church Militant #39

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Hymns of the Church Universal #22

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Hymns of the Church #453

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Hymns of the Faith #391

Hymns #d148

Hymns #140

Immanuel Hymnal #d478

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In Excelsis #502

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In Excelsis #a502

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Laudes Domini #799

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Lutheran Book of Worship #502

Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #d772

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Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #82

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Methodist Hymn-Book #371

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Offices of Worship and Hymns #132

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Offices of Worship and Hymns #672

Pocket Hymn Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church #d244

Pocket Hymn Book, Designed as a Constant Companion. 25th ed. #d243

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Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs #862

Text

Revival Hymns and Choruses #39

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Salvation Army Songs #320

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School and Parish Hymnal #216

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Service Book and Hymnal of the Lutheran Church in America #505

Pages

Exclude 157 pre-1979 instances
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