One Thing I of the Lord Desire (A Clean Heart)

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One thing I of the Lord desire

Author: Walter C. Smith (1887)
Tune: [One thing I of the Lord desire]
Published in 80 hymnals

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Piano/Organ
	Early American Hymn Tunes

Representative Text

1 One thing I of the Lord desire,
For all my path hath miry been,
Be it by water or by fire,
O make me clean, O make me clean.

Refrain:
So wash me, Thou, without, within,
Or purge with fire, if that must be,
No matter how, if only sin
Die out in me, die out in me.

2 If clearer vision Thou impart,
Grateful and glad my soul shall be;
But yet to have a purer heart
Is more to me, Is more to me. [Refrain]

3 Yea, only as this heart is clean
May larger vision yet be mine,
For mirrored in its depths are seen
The things divine, the things divine. [Refrain]

4 I watch to shun the miry way,
And stanch the springs of guilty thought;
But, watch and struggle as I may,
Pure I am not, Pure I am not. [Refrain]

Source: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #297

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Author: Walter C. Smith

Smith, Walter Chalmer, D.D., was born at Aberdeen Dec. 5, 1824, and educated at the Grammar School and University of that City. He pursued his Theological studies at Edinburgh, and was ordained Pastor of the Scottish Church in Chad well Street, Islington, London, Dec. 25, 1850. After holding several pastorates he became, in 1876, Minister of the Free High Church, Edinburgh. His contributions to poetical literature have been many and of great merit. His principal works are:— (1) The Bishop's Walk, 1860; (2) Olrig Grange, 1872; (3) Borland Hall, 1874; (4) Hilda among the Broken Gods, 1878; (5) North Country Folk, 1883; (6) Kildrostan, 1884; (7) Hymns of Christ and Christian Life, 1876. From his Hymns of Christ, &c, 1876, the following,… Go to person page >

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First Line:	One thing I of the Lord desire
Title:	One Thing I of the Lord Desire (A Clean Heart)
Author:	Walter C. Smith (1887)
Meter:	Irregular
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	So wash me, Thou without, within
Copyright:	Public Domain