A Heart Resigned

Charles Wesley wrote this hymn following an experience of evangelical conversion in London on Whitsunday in 1738. It expresses his deep and total commitment to God and of his desire to be renewed in body and soul, as expressed by the Psalmist’s words, ‘Make me a clean heart, O GOD, and renew a right Spirit within me’. (Ps. 51:10). 

1. O for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free;
A heart that always feels thy Blood
So freely spilt for me.

2. A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My dear Redeemer’s throne;
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.

3. A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean,
Which neither life nor death can part
From him that dwells within.

​​4. A heart in every thought renewed,
And full of love divine;
Perfect, and right, and pure, and good,
A copy, Lord, of thine.

5.  My heart, thou know’st, can never rest
Till thou create my peace;
Till of mine Eden repossess,
From self, and sin, I cease.

6. Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart,
Come quickly from above;
Write thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new best name of love.

Charles Wesley, ​1707-1788