Adventist Pioneer Library

Worship — Adoration of Christ

O that I could forever dwell

  • No. 109
  • Words Andrew Reed.
  • 5 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

O that I could forever dwell
Delighted at my Saviour's feet,
Behold the form I love so well,
And all his tender words repeat!

2

The world shut out from all my soul,
And heaven brought in with all its bliss,
O, is there aught, from pole to pole,
One moment to compare with this?

3

This is the hidden life I prize,—
A life of penitential love;
When most my follies I despise,
And raise my highest thoughts above;

4

When all I am I clearly see,
And freely own, with deepest shame;
When the Redeemer's love to me
Kindles within a deathless flame.

5

Thus would I live till nature fail,
And all my former sins forsake;
Then rise to God within the vail,
And of eternal joys partake.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «109», reference line «301, 336, 215.» in italics (sing to the tune of hymn 301, 336 or 215); stanzas 1–3 at the foot of the left column of p. 40 below hymn 108, stanzas 4–5 at the top of the right column, «Andrew Reed.» in italics at the end. The first words «O THAT» are set with «THAT» in small capitals. Stanza 2, line 2 runs over in the print («…with all its / bliss,»); joined here. The print sets a thin space before «;», «!» and «?» («repeat !», «this ?», «love ;», «above ;», «shame ;», «forsake ;»); it is closed up here. Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print. Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's. No meter is printed (the text is L. M., 8.8.8.8).

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
Worship — Adoration of Christ · No. 109 · printed page 40
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-09-30