This hymn goes out to William Goh who is preparing a message for his homiletic class with the same title. Please be patient, I’m working on other hymn requests as well.
Interestingly, this hymn has a Maori melody and a meter of 10.10.10.10 which means 10 syllables per line. James Orr wrote these words at a revival meeting in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand, taking less than five minutes to put them down on paper.
Orr was ordained an American Baptist minister in 1940, attended Northwestern University (MA 1941) and Northern Baptist Seminary (ThD 1943), and served as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific in World War II. After the war, he continued his schooling, attending Oxford University (PhD 1948) and the University of California at Los Angeles (EdD 1971); he also received honorary degrees from an Indian seminary and the University of South Africa. In 1967 he became a professor in the School of World Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California. He wrote at least six hymns, and a number of books.
Lyrics: James Edwin Orr
Music: Maori melody
Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.
