O throw away thy rod

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O throw away thy rod

Author: George Herbert
Published in 20 hymnals

Representative Text

1 O throw away thy Rod!
O throw away thy Wrath!
My gracious Saviour and my God,
O take the gentle Path.

2 Thou seest my Heart's Desire
Still unto thee be bent!
Still does my longing soul aspire
To an entire consent.

3 Not e'en a Word or Look
Do I approve or own,
But by the Model of thy Book,
Thy sacred Book alone.

4 Altho' I fail, I weep,
Altho' I halt in Peace
Yet still with trembling steps I creep
Unto the Throne of Grace.

5 O then let Wrath remove;
For Love will do the Deed;
Love will the Conquest gain with Love
Even strong Hearts will bleed.

6 For Love is swift of Foot,
Love is a Man of War;
Love can resistless Arrows shoot,
And hit the Mark from far.

7 Who can escape the Bow?
That which hath wrought on thee,
Which brought the King of Glory low,
Must surely work on me.

8 O throw away thy rod,
What tho' Man Frailties hath?
Thou art our Saviour and our God:
O throw away they Wrath!

Source: A Collection of Psalms and Hymns #B.VII

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Author: George Herbert

Herbert, George, M.A., the fifth son of Richard Herbert and Magdalen, the daughter of Sir Richard Newport, was born at his father's seat, Montgomery Castle, April 3, 1593. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1611. On March 15, 1615, he became Major Fellow of the College, M.A. the same year, and in 1619 Orator for the University. Favoured by James I., intimate with Lord Bacon, Bishop Andrewes, and other men of influence, and encouraged in other ways, his hopes of Court preferment were somewhat bright until they were dispelled by the deaths of the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Hamilton, and then of King James himself. Retiring into Kent, he formed the resolution of taking Holy Orders… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O throw away thy rod
Author:	George Herbert
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Throw away Thy rod. G. Herbert. [Discipline.] First published in his posthumous work The Temple, 1633, under the title “Discipline." The earliest attempt known to us to adapt this poem for congregational use was made by John Wesley. In his Collection of Psalms & Hymns, printed at Charlestown, America, 1736-7, it was altered from its 5.5.3.5 metre to S.M. and given as No. vii. of the "Psalms & Hymns for Wednesday and Friday." The first stanza begins:

"O throw away Thy rod!
O throw away Thy wrath!
My gracious Saviour and my God,
O take the gentle path."

The original poem, usually in an abbreviated form, is found in several modern hymnbooks, including the People's Hymnal, 1867; the Congregational Church Hymnal, 1887, and others.

--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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