My God, permit me not to be

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General information

My God, permit me not to be is a hymn by Isaac Watts, published as Hymn 122, Book 2, and headed 'Retirement and Meditation'.

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Text and translations

English.png English text

My God, permit me not to be
A stranger to myself and thee;
Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove,
Forgetful of my highest love.

Why should my passions mix with earth,
And thus debase my heav'nly birth?
Why should I cleave to things below,
And let my God, my Saviour, go?

Call me away from flesh and sense,
One sov'reign word can draw me thence;
I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.

Be earth, with all her scenes, withdrawn,
Let noise and vanity be gone;
In secret silence of the mind
My heav'n, and there my God, I find.

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