To Thee My Heart I Offer
for SATB Chorus and Piano
optional String Quartet
Published with Beckenhorst Press
Mein Herz will ich dir schenken – a 1650 text by an anonymous author has been lovingly set for SATB chorus, piano and optional string quartet as a prayer of personal affirmation and dedication. It captures the essence of the Christmas story and would make a wonderful closing prayer for a Christmas Eve worship service.
To Thee my heart I offer,
Oh Christ-Child sweet and dear;
Upon Thy love relying,
be Thou ever near.
Oh take my heart and give me Thine
and may it be forever mine,
Oh Jesus, holy, undefiled,
My Saviour meek and mild.
What brought Thee to the manger,
Oh Christ-child sweet and dear?
Thy love from a stranger,
be Thou ever near,
Oh Lord how great Thy perfect Love,
that reaches from the heavens above.
Thy love for us, by sin defiled,
That made Thee, God, a child.
Let me be Thine forever,
Oh Christ-child sweet and dear;
Uphold me with Thy mercy,
be Thou ever near.
Thy hand bestows Thy gifts to me
and all I have, I offer Thee.
My heart, my soul, and all I own;
Let these be Thine alone.
