Jesus, Shepherd, faithful Lord,
On Thee now I must lean;
Take now my heart, and cleanse
And purify and wean it
Clay from earth, bare dust of dust,
Untempered and entwined;
I have no gift, no worthy part,
Nor gold to be refined.
I borrow from Thy hand my gold,
I take my heart, an empty cup
Or block of stone, Thy carving, Lord,
Back to Thy hand I lift it up.
Take even my beseeching, Lord,
The fitful sparks of my desire;
I cannot pray but sinful prayers,
Speak Thou in holy fire.
I seek you with your words, O Lord,
O put Thy promise on my tongue
That in Thy grace a prayer is heard
That to Thee, past the farthest sun
May echo heaven’s canticles
Like wave on wave upon the sea
To flow my heart, set it apart,
Wave after wave may journey far;
Mile after mile, earth, sky and star
And find its rest in Thee.