Fervent in Spirit

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Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower, Thee will I love my joy, my crown (Wesley)

Translator: John Wesley; Author: Angelus Silesius (1657)
Published in 165 hymnals

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Piano/Organ
	Remember, Lord, the Times You Called Me…

Choral
	You Will I Love

Instrumental
	EASY ENSEMBLE MUSIC

Representative Text

1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower;
thee will I love, my joy, my crown;
thee will I love with all my power,
in all thy works, and thee alone:
thee will I love, till sacred fire
fill my whole soul with pure desire.

2 I thank thee, uncreated Sun,
that thy bright beams on me have shined;
I thank thee, who hast overthrown
my foes, and healed my wounded mind;
I thank thee, whose enlivening voice
bids my freed heart in thee rejoice.

3 Uphold me in the doubtful race,
nor suffer me again to stray;
strengthen my feet, with steady pace
still to press forward in thy way;
that all my powers, with all their might,
in thy sole glory may unite.

4 Thee will I love, my joy, my crown;
thee will I love, my Lord, my God;
thee will I love, beneath thy frown
or smile -- thy sceptre or thy rod;
what though my flesh and heart decay,
thee shall I love in endless day.

Source: Common Praise (1998) #441

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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 >

Author: Angelus Silesius

Pen name of Johann Scheffler… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower, Thee will I love my joy, my crown (Wesley)
Title:	Fervent in Spirit
German Title:	Ich will Dich lieben, meine Stärke
Translator:	John Wesley
Author:	Angelus Silesius (1657)
Meter:	8.8.8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

This is John Wesley's rendering of the hymn by "Angelus Silesius" and is "a very beautiful and faithful translation, which omits only one verse of the original." ... We are indebted to "the pietests of Halle," and especicaly to Freylinghausen for the use of [Scheffler's] hymns by the Evangelical Church.

English Hymns: their authors and history by Samuel Willoughby Duffield, Funk & Wagnalls, 1886

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