Take my Life and Let it Be

This hymn is about dedicating all aspects of a person's life to serving God.

The words were written by English Anglican minister's daughter, religious poet and hymn-writer, Frances Ridley Havergal (1836 - 1879), and the hymn was first published, with 11 verses, in a 1874 appendix to Songs of Grace and Glory ( Charles B. Snepp).  More-recent publications usually leave out some of the verses.

With meter of  7.7.7.7.7 , it has been set to a large number of tunes, including:
  • MESSIAH BY Louis J. Hérold (1830)
  • HENDON by, Henri A. C. Malan (1827) - most common in contemporary Christian music settings
  • MARY MAGDALENE by Arthur Sullivan (1872)
  • ST BEES by John Bacchus Dykes (1862)
  • YARBROUGH by William B. Bradbury
  • HOLLINGSIDE by John Bacchus Dykes (1861)

Contemporary artists, including Chris Tomlin, have recently recorded the song or incorporated it into other works.


Downloads

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Examples

Congregation with organ. Tune: HOLLINGSIDE


Update contemporary rendition: solo singer with rhythm backing.  Tune:  HENDON


Contemporary rendition: lead singer with backing chorus and keyboard.  Tune:  HENDON

   

Instrumental: organ.  Tune:  HENDON

   

Lyrics

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

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2 comments:

  1. I have learnt another version of this hymn. Is it ok if I recorded the version sung by me and upload it here or do I need to have the copyright permission from the original composer/arranger?

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    Replies
    1. Because the words are now in the public domain, anyone is free to set them to a new tune, and to upload a recording of this to YouTube etc.

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