Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower

Top Media Text Author Translator Text Info Tune Timeline Arrangements Page Scans Instances

Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower, Thee will I love my hope my joy (Winkworth)

Author: Angelus Silesius (1657); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1859)
Tune: ICH WILL DICH LIEBEN (König)
Published in 49 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Piano/Organ
	You Will I Love

Representative Text

1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower;
Thee will I love, my hope, my joy.
Thee will I love with all my power,
With ardor time shall ne'er destroy.
Thee will I love, O Light Divine,
So long as life is mine.

2 Thee will I love, my life, my Savior,
Who art my best and truest friend.
Thee will I love and praise forever,
For never shall Thy kindness end.
Thee will I love with all my heart--
Thou my Redeemer art!

3 I thank Thee, Jesus, Sun from heaven,
Whose radiance hath brought light to me;
I thank Thee, who hast richly given
All that could make me glad and free;
I thank Thee that my soul is healed
By what Thy lips revealed.

4 O keep me watchful, then, and humble;
Permit me nevermore to stray.
Uphold me when my feet would stumble,
And keep me on the narrow way.
Fill all my nature with Thy light,
O Radiance strong and bright!

5 Thee will I love, my crown of gladness;
Thee will I love, my God and Lord,
Amid the darkest depths of sadness,
And not for hope of high reward,
For Thine own sake, O Light divine,
So long as life is mine.

Source: Lutheran Service Book #694

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: Angelus Silesius

Pen name of Johann Scheffler… Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

^ top

First Line:	Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower, Thee will I love my hope my joy (Winkworth)
Title:	Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower
German Title:	Ich will dich lieben, meine Stärke
Author:	Angelus Silesius (1657)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1859)
Meter:	9.8.9.8.8.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain