Take My Life, and Let It Be

Frances Ridley Havergal · 1874 · tune HENDON
Key of G · public domain

Words

The story

Frances Ridley Havergal wrote this in February 1874 during a five day visit to a house where, by her own account, ten people were staying and she had been praying for every one of them. She said the last night she was too happy to sleep and the verses came one couplet at a time. What sets it apart from other consecration hymns is that it is specific. It does not offer a vague self. It goes through the inventory: hands, feet, voice, lips, silver and gold, intellect, will, heart, love. Havergal took the silver and gold line seriously enough that in 1878 she shipped her ornaments to the Church Missionary House, keeping a brooch or two of her parents and a locket of her niece, and paid the Society their cash value so the whole worth still went to them. The tune usually sung is HENDON, by Cesar Malan, though Havergal herself wanted her father's tune PATMOS and said so plainly in 1878.

Chords in G

In the app you can move this to any key and it works out the capo for you.

Common questions

Who wrote Take My Life, and Let It Be? Frances Ridley Havergal wrote the words in 1874.

What tune is it sung to? HENDON, set here in the key of G.

What scripture is it built on? Romans 12:1.

Is Take My Life, and Let It Be free to use in church? Yes. The words are public domain, which means any church may sing them, print them in a bulletin, put them on a screen or record them, without asking permission and without paying anyone.

Themes

Consecration · Surrender · Service