Description

This song is based on a hymn by famous songwriter Francis Scott Key (best known for writing “The Star Spangled Banner”) named “Lord, with Glowing Heart I’d Praise Thee.” In this song we praise our sovereign God who “loved and sought” us, drawing us to the cross of Christ and lifting our heads to look to Him and live. Key sweetly renders God’s work in our hearts by describing how “His loving promise warmed me” (v. 3) and goes on to plead with God to make this warmth into a flame of love for Him. Unfortunately, our passion for God quickly cools when subvert it with the passing, unsatisfying pleasures of this world. We can only rely on God himself to light the fire of our love for Him – not our own efforts, not by listening to really pretty music, or by relying on the passion of others around us. In this song we pray directly to God: “God, help my weak endeavor; this dull soul to rapture raise!” May this be our prayer as we come before God in worship!

Lyrics

Show Original Wordings

Praise the God who loved and sought me,
Poor and wretched, far astray;
Found me lost, and kindly brought me
Out of sin and to the way.

Chorus:
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise.
You must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise the saving God who drew me
To the cross, new life to give,
By a blood-sealed pardon freed me,
Bid me look to Christ and live.

Praise the God whose warnings woke me,
Roused me from my fatal ease;
Then His loving promise warmed me,
Eased my fears and whispered peace.
Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wanderer, far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Chorus:
Thou must light the flame, or never
Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to Him and live.
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease;
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.

Follow comments or trackback from your own site.