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Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

Now let a true ambition rise

Author: Philip Doddridge
Tune: BENTON (Pound)
Published in 70 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Now let a true ambition rise,
And ardour fire our breasts,
To reign in worlds above the skies,
In heav'nly glories drest.

2 Behold Jehovah's royal hand
A radiant crown display,
Whose gems with vivid lustre shine,
While sun and stars decay.

3 No more I seek for transient good,
Nor longer call it mine:
I spring to seize superior joys,
Immortal and divine.

4 Ye hearts, with youthful vigour warm,
The glorious prize pursue;
Nor shall ye want the goods of earth,
While heav'n is kept in view.


Source: A Collection of Hymns and A Liturgy: for the use of Evangelical Lutheran Churches; to which are added prayers for families and individuals #517

Author: Philip Doddridge

Philip Doddridge (b. London, England, 1702; d. Lisbon, Portugal, 1751) belonged to the Non-conformist Church (not associated with the Church of England). Its members were frequently the focus of discrimination. Offered an education by a rich patron to prepare him for ordination in the Church of England, Doddridge chose instead to remain in the Non-conformist Church. For twenty years he pastored a poor parish in Northampton, where he opened an academy for training Non-conformist ministers and taught most of the subjects himself. Doddridge suffered from tuberculosis, and when Lady Huntington, one of his patrons, offered to finance a trip to Lisbon for his health, he is reputed to have said, "I can as well go to heaven from Lisbon as from Nort… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Now let a true ambition rise
Title: Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God
Author: Philip Doddridge
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Now let a true ambition rise. P. Doddridge. [Seek first the Kingdom of God.] Written January 1, 1738/9 [D. MSS.], and published by Job Orton in his posthumous edition of Doddridge's Hymns, 1755, No. 178, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed, "Seeking first the Kingdom of God.” It was also given in J. D. Humphreys's edition of the same, 1839, No. 199.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 70 of 70)
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A Collection of Hymns and a Liturgy for the Use of Evangelical Lutheran Churches #517

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A Collection of Hymns and a Liturgy #517

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A Collection of Hymns and A Liturgy #517

A Collection of Hymns from Various Authors. New ed. #d229

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship #303

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (10th ed.) #303

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship (6th ed.) #303

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship. (3rd ed.) #303

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship. (45th ed.) #303

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for Christian Worship. 16th ed. #303

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A Collection of Psalms and Hymns #341

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A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #H.CCCXCVII

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A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #H.CCCXCVII

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A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. #519

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A Selection of Hymns #DXIX

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A Selection of Sacred Poetry #341

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A Selection of Sacred Poetry #341

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Baptist Hymn Book #a680

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Christian Hymns for Public and Private Worship #903

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Christian Hymns #299

Church Hymn Book . 3rd ed. #d354

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Church Pastorals, hymns and tunes for public and social worship #775

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Hymn Book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (2nd ed.) #768

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Hymn book of the Methodist Protestant Church. (4th ed.) #768

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs (New ed.) #29

Hymns for Children and Young Persons #d294

Hymns for Children and Young Persons. First Am. from the London ed. #d97

Hymns for Schools and Families #d338

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Hymns for Schools and Families, Specailly Designed for the Children of the Church #303

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Hymns for Schools #325

Hymns, Collects, Anthems and Selections #d171

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Parish Hymns #270

Parish Psalmody #d548

Parish Psalmody #d561

Psalms and Hymns, for Social and Private Worship #d306

Revival Hymns #d60

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Songs for All #109b

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The American Baptist Sabbath-School Hymn-Book #226

The Baptist Hymn Book, in Two Parts #d398

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The Baptist Hymn Book #680

The Baptist Sabbath School Hymn Book #d274

The Chapel Hymn Book (4th ed.) #d248

The Chapel Hymn Book. 5th ed. #d245

The Christian Psalter #d373

The Church Hymn Book #d367

The Halifax Selection of Hymns #d285

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the Most Approved Authors #CCXCVII

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns #CCXCVII

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The Lexington Collection #73

The New England Sunday School Hymn Book #d96

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The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #1237

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The Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. #D284

The Songs of Zion #d132

The Songs of Zion #d131

The Universalist Hymn Book #d319

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The Universalist Hymn-Book #476

Village Hymns #541

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Village hymns for social worship, selected and original #541

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Village hymns for social worship, selected and original #541

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Village Hymns for Social Worship, Selected and Original #541

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