How I love Thee, precious Jesus,

How I love Thee, precious Jesus, That Thy love laid hold of me; Thou hast drawn and wooed and kissed me That a lover I may be!

Our Beloved, how we love Him, So attractive, our delight. We are captivated wholly And are comely in His sight.

As a company of horses, Thou, O Lord, has likened me, Strong and swift, with Pharaoh's chariots, Full of natural energy.

Just a lover with the dove's eyes Fixed on Him and Him alone; Changed are all my natural concepts, Oh, the Lord in me has grown!

Now a lily of the valley, Standing out among the thorns, In the Lord alone I'm trusting, Of my self-strength I've been shorn.

Make us doves that hide in Thee, Lord; Bring us to the secret place. There You find our voices sweet, Lord, And desire to see our face.

Make us then, Lord, smoking pillars, Coming from the wilderness. By Thy death and resurrection All our natural will suppress.

You desire a couch to rest on — We become a rest to Thee; Thou the Person in our being; Gone our personality.

Now a palanquin You're making — Nothing natural You'll allow. For Your move and Your expression Start this work within us now!

You supply the wood and pillars For the structure and support, Bottom gold and seat of purple For our King of royal court.

Only this, O Lord, we offer For Thy palanquin so fine: Just our love, so pure and fitted, The interior design.

What a sight when our Beloved Wears a crown upon His brow; Christ, the Church, are now united — Boast and glory to Him now.