Religion
Open, Lord, my inward ear
From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1742) · Osborn ed., vol. 2 (1869)
Open, Lord, my inward ear,
And bid my heart rejoice,
Bid my quiet spirit hear
Thy comfortable voice,
Never in the whirlwind found,
Or where earthquakes rock the place:
Still and silent is the sound,
The whisper of Thy grace.
From the world of sin, and noise,
And hurry, I withdraw;
For the small and inward voice
I wait with humble awe;
Silent am I now, and still,
Dare not in Thy presence move;
To my waiting soul reveal
The secret of Thy love.
Thou hast undertook for me,
For me to death wast sold:
Wisdom in a mystery
Of bleeding love unfold;
Teach the lesson of Thy cross,
Let me die with Thee to reign,
All things let me count but loss
So I may Thee regain.
Show me, as my soul can bear,
The depth of inbred sin;
All the unbelief declare,
The pride that lurks within;
Take me, whom Thyself hast bought;
Bring into captivity
Every high aspiring thought
That would not stoop to Thee.
Lord, my time is in Thy hand,
My soul to Thee convert;
Thou canst make me understand,
Though I am slow of heart.
Thine, in whom I live and move,
Thine the work, the praise is Thine;
Thou art wisdom, power, and love,
And all Thou art is mine.
Codex Note
Attributed to Charles Wesley; Osborn's edition does not distinguish the brothers
Cite this poem
MLA
Wesley, Charles. “Open, Lord, my inward ear.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/292/.
Chicago
Wesley, Charles. “Open, Lord, my inward ear.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_c/292/.
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