Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | I. The Divine Element—(God, Christ, the Holy Spirit) | | “I gave my life for thee” | | Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–1879) |
| | | I GAVE my life for thee, | |
| My precious blood I shed | |
| That thou might’st ransomed be, | |
| And quickened from the dead. | |
| I gave my life for thee; | 5 |
| What hast thou given for me? | |
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| I spent long years for thee | |
| In weariness and woe, | |
| That an eternity | |
| Of joy thou mightest know. | 10 |
| I spent long years for thee; | |
| Hast thou spent one for me? | |
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| My Father’s home of light, | |
| My rainbow-circled throne, | |
| I left, for earthly night, | 15 |
| For wanderings sad and lone. | |
| I left it all for thee; | |
| Hast thou left aught for me? | |
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| I suffered much for thee, | |
| More than thy tongue may tell | 20 |
| Of bitterest agony, | |
| To rescue thee from hell. | |
| I suffered much for thee; | |
| What canst thou bear for me? | |
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| And I have brought to thee, | 25 |
| Down from my home above, | |
| Salvation full and free, | |
| My pardon and my love. | |
| Great gifts I brought to thee; | |
| What hast thou brought to me? | 30 |
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| Oh, let thy life be given, | |
| Thy years for him be spent, | |
| World-fetters all be riven, | |
| And joy with suffering blent; | |
| I gave myself for thee: | 35 |
| Give thou thyself to me! | | | | |
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