Hymns and Sacred Poems (1749), Hymn 10: On His Birthday

God of my life, to Thee
My cheerful soul I raise,
Thy goodness bade me be,
And still prolongs my days:
I see my natal hour return,
And bless the day that I was born.

A clod of living earth
I glorify Thy name,
From whom alone my birth,
And all my blessings came;
Creating and preserving grace
Let all that is within me praise.

My soul, and all its powers,
Thine, wholly Thine shall be,
All, all my happy hours
I consecrate to Thee;
Whate'er I have, whate'er I am
Shall magnify my Maker's name.

Long as I live beneath,
To Thee O let me live,
To Thee my every breath
In thanks, and blessings give;
Me to Thine image now restore,
And I shall praise Thee evermore.

Thy former gift is vain,
Unless Thou lift me up,
Begetting me again
Unto a lively hope;
O let me know that second birth,
And live the life of heaven on earth.

I wait Thy will to do
As angels do in heaven,
In Christ a creature new,
Eternally forgiven;
I wait Thy perfect will to prove,
When sanctified by spotless love.

O might I soon attain
My holy calling's prize!
And grow, when born again,
And to Thy stature rise;
From strength to strength,from grace to grace,
Till meet to see Thy glorious face.

Then, when the work is done,
The work of faith with power,
Call home Thy favour'd son
At death's triumphant hour,
Like Moses to Thyself convey,
And kiss my raptured soul away.