The Act of Consecration

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O God, what offering shall I give

Author: Joachim Lange (1697); Translator: John Wesley (1739)
Published in 57 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 O God, what offering shall I give
To thee, the Lord of earth and skies?
My spirit, soul and flesh receive,
A holy, living sacrifice;
Small as it is, ‘tis all my store,
More shouldst thou have if I had more.

2 Now, O my God, thou hast my soul,
No longer mine, but thine I am;
Guard thou thine own, possess it whole,
Cheer it with hope, with love inflame;
Thou hast my spirit, there display
Thy glory to the perfect day.

3 Thou hast my flesh, thy hallowed shrine,
Devoted solely to thy will;
Here let thy light for ever shine,
This house still let thy presence fill;
O Source of life, live, dwell and move
In me, till all my life be love!

4 Send down thy likeness from above,
And let this my adorning be;
Clothe me with wisdom, patience, love,
With lowliness and purity,
Than gold and pearls more precious far,
And brighter than the morning star.

5 Lord, arm me with thy Spirit’s might,
Since I am called by thy great name;
In thee let all my thoughts unite,
Of all my works be thou the aim;
Thy love attend me all my days,
And my sole business be thy praise.

Source: The Song Book of the Salvation Army #516

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Author: Joachim Lange

Lange, Joachim, D.D., son of Mauritius Lange, senior councillor at Gardelegen in the Altmark, was born at Gardelegen, Oct. 26, 1670. He entered the University of Leipzig in the autumn of 1689, where he shared rooms with A. H. Francke; and in 1690 followed Francke to Erfurt, and in 1692 to Halle. By the recommendation of J. O. Schade he was appointed, in 1693, tutor to the only son of F. R. L. von Canitz, at Berlin. Subsequently he became, in 1696, rector of the school at Coslin in Pomerania; in 1698 rector of the Friedrichswerder Gymnasium at Berlin, and in 1699 pastor of the Friedrichstadt church; and in 1709, professor of theology at Halle (D.D. 1717), where he d. May 7,1744 (Koch, iv. 343; Allg. Deutsche Biographie, xvii. 634, &c). In hi… Go to person page >

Translator: John Wesley

John Wesley, the son of Samuel, and brother of Charles Wesley, was born at Epworth, June 17, 1703. He was educated at the Charterhouse, London, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He became a Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and graduated M.A. in 1726. At Oxford, he was one of the small band consisting of George Whitefield, Hames Hervey, Charles Wesley, and a few others, who were even then known for their piety; they were deridingly called "Methodists." After his ordination he went, in 1735, on a mission to Georgia. The mission was not successful, and he returned to England in 1738. From that time, his life was one of great labour, preaching the Gospel, and publishing his commentaries and other theological works. He died in London, in 17… Go to person page >

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First Line:	O God, what offering shall I give
Title:	The Act of Consecration
German Title:	O Jesu, süßes Licht
Translator:	John Wesley (1739)
Author:	Joachim Lange (1697)
Meter:	8.8.8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain