The Cyber Hymnal ‎#4239

4239. My God, Permit Me Not to Be

1. My God, permit me not to be
A stranger to myself and Thee;
Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove,
Forgetful of my highest love.

2. Why should my passions mix with earth,
And thus debase my heav’nly birth?
Why should I cleave to things below,
And let my God, my Savior, go?

3. Call me away from flesh and sense,
One sov’reign word can draw me thence;
I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.

4. Be earth with all her scenes withdrawn,
Let noise and vanity begone;
In secret silence of the mind
My heav’n, and there my God, I find.

Text Information

• First Line: My God, permit me not to be
• Title: My God, Permit Me Not to Be
• Author: Isaac Watts (1707-9)
• Meter: LM
• Language: English
• Source: Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707-9, Book II, number 122
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: GUARDIAN
• Composer: Irving James Morgan (1895)
• Meter: LM
• Incipit: 12354 67134 31656
• Key: E Major
• Copyright: Public Domain