Wesley Corpus

Hymn to the Son Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 O filial deity, Accept my new-born cry! 30Charles records singing this hymn in his MS Journal as early as July 2, 1738. See the travail of thy soul, Saviour, and be satisfy’d; Take me now, possess me whole, Who for me, for me hast dy’d! 2 Of life thou art the tree, My immortality! Feed this tender branch of thine, Ceaseless influence derive, Thou the true, the heav’nly vine, Grafted into thee I live. 3 Of life the fountain thou, I know--I feel it now! Faint and dead no more I droop: Thou art in me: thy supplies Ev’ry moment springing up Into life eternal rise. 4 Thou the good shepherd art, From thee I ne’er shall part: Thou my keeper and my guide, Make me still thy tender care, Gently lead me by thy side, Sweetly in thy bosom bear. 5 Thou art my daily bread; O Christ, thou art my head: Motion, virtue, strength to me, Me thy living member flow; Nourish’d I, and fed by thee, Up to thee in all things grow. 6 Prophet, to me reveal Thy Father’s perfect will. Never mortal spake like thee, Human prophet like divine; Loud and strong their voices be, Small and still and inward thine! 7 On thee my priest I call, Thy blood aton’d for all. Still the Lamb as slain appears, Still thou stand’st before the throne, Ever off’ring up my31 pray’rs, These presenting with thy own. 8 Jesu!32 Thou art my King, From thee my strength I bring! Shadow’d by thy mighty hand, Saviour, who shall pluck me thence? Faith supports, by faith I stand Strong as thy omnipotence. 9 O filial deity, Accept my new-born cry! See the travail of thy soul, Saviour, and be satisfy’d; Take me now, possess me whole, Who for me, for me hast dy’d! 31Ori., “thy”; a misprint, not corrected until the 3rd edn. (1782) of Hymns (1780). 32Charles Wesley changes “Jesu!” to “Jesus,” in All in All (1761).