Olney Hymn 53: My Soul Thirsteth For God

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



I thirst, but not as once I did,
The vain delights of earth to share;
Thy wounds, Emmanuel, all forbid
That I should seek my pleasures there.

It was the sight of Thy dear cross
First wean'd my soul from earthly things;
And taught me to esteem as dross
The mirth of fools and pomp of kings.

I want that grace that springs from Thee,
That quickens all things where it flows,
And makes a wretched thorn like me
Bloom as the myrtle, or the rose.

Dear fountain of delight unknown!
No longer sink below the brim;
But overflow, and pour me down
A living and life-giving stream!

For sure of all the plants that share
The notice of thy Father's eye,
None proves less grateful to His care,
Or yields him meaner fruit than I.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

42 sec read
131

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF XXXX BGBG
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 722
Words 138
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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