The Cyber Hymnal ‎#4414

4414. My God, I Love Thee

1. My God, I love Thee; not because
I hope for Heav’n thereby,
Nor yet because who love Thee not
May eternally die.

2. Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me
Upon the cross embrace;
For me didst bear the nails and spear,
And manifold disgrace.

3. And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony;
E’en death itself; and all for man
Who was Thine enemy.

4. Then why, O blessèd Jesus Christ
Should I not love Thee well?
Not for the hope of winning Heaven,
Nor of escaping hell.

5. Not with the hope of gaining aught,
Nor seeking a reward,
But as Thyself hast lovèd me,
O everlasting Lord!

6. E’en so I love Thee, and will love,
And in Thy praise will sing,
Solely because Thou art my God,
And my eternal King.

Text Information

• First Line: My God, I love Thee; not because
• Title: My God, I Love Thee
• Latin Title: O Deus, ego amo te
• Author: Anonymous
• Translator (from Latin): Edward Caswall (1849)
• Meter: CM
• Language: English
• Source: Lyra Catholica, 1849
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: The original is reportedly a Spanish sonnet which begins, 'No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte;' it appeared in Diepenbrock's Geistlicher Blumenstrauss (1829), attributed to Francis Xavier. It also appeared in the Poesias of Theresa de Jesus, 1515-1582, showing her as the author, but was not in in her Libros (Lisbon: 1616), Obras (Lisbon: 1654), or Opera (Köln, Germany: 1686). Julian believed the Latin form was probably by Xavier or by a German Jesuit. A translation of the Latin lyrics was published in 1668 in Heilige Seelenlust, by Johann Scheffler, crediting Xavier as the author. Alternate tunes: FLENSBURG, Ludwig Spohr, 1784-1859; harmonized by Joseph Barnby, 1867; SOLOMON, from the air 'What Tho' I Trace,' by George F. Handel; ST. FRNCIS XAVIER, John Stainer, 1875

Tune Information

• Name: ST. FULBERT
• Composer: Henry John Gauntlett (1849)
• Meter: CM
• Incipit: 55126 54353 56171
• Key: E Major
• Copyright: Public Domain