I lift my hands, and with my heart - Anonymous

I lift my hands, and with my heart,
My prayer ascends to Thee;
In mercy take a sinner’s part,
Lord, send Thy help to me.

Lo! in the mire of sin I lie,
My raiment all defiled;
O come and set me up on high,
And save Thy fallen child.

I cannot cleanse the filthy stains,—
I can but mourn and sigh;
Do what I may, the guilt remains,
I fail oft’ as I try.

In mercy, Lord, Thy mercy send,
For merciful art Thou;
And prove Thyself the sinner’s Friend,—
O come and help me now.

And let my life be ordered quite,
As Thou wouldst have it be;
When I am wrong, O set me right,—
Lord, come and succour me.

And hold me up, lest to the mire
Of sin my soul return;
O let Thy love my spirit fire,
And base affections burn.

And glory to my God I’ll give,
And glory to the Son,
And to the Spirit while I live,
Great, Blessed, Three in One.

---

Anonymous (date unknown but pre-20th century) Greece
Translated by John Brownlie
Source: Hymns from the East, John Brownlie, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton & Kent Co. Ltd., 1907 [Christian Classics Ethereal Library]