Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Representative Text

1 Have thine own way, Lord!
Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter,
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me
after thy will,
while I am waiting,
yielded and still.

2 Have thine own way, Lord!
Have thine own way!
Search me and try me,
Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord,
wash me just now,
as in thy presence
humbly I bow.

3 Have thine own way, Lord!
Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary,
help me I pray!
Power, all power,
surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me,
Savior divine!

4 Have thine own way, Lord!
Have thine own way!
Hold o'er my being
absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit
till all shall see
Christ only, always,
living in me!

United Methodist Hymnal, 1989

Author: Adelaide A. Pollard

Not to be confused with Adelaide A. Procter Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Have Thine own way, Lord!
Title: Have Thine Own Way, Lord
Author: Adelaide A. Pollard (1906)
Meter: 5.4.5.4 D
Language: English
Notes: Spanish translations: See "Cúmplase Oh Cristo, tu voluntad" by Vernon E. Berry, "Haz lo que quieras" by Ernesto Barocio; Swahili translation: See "Mapenzi yako yafanyike"
Copyright: Public Domain
Liturgical Use: Songs of Response

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Jer. 18:6
Isa. 64:8
st. 2 = Ps. 139:23-24

Periodically distressed after being unable to raise money to go to Africa as a missionary in the late 1890s, Adelaide A. Pollard (b. Bloomfield, IA, 1862; d. New York, NY, 1934) attended a prayer meeting in 1902 and was inspired after hearing an older woman pray, "It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord–just have your way with our lives." Pollard went home and meditated on the potter's story in Jeremiah 18 (the same image is also in Isa. 64:8) and wrote the consecration hymn "Have Thine Own Way, Lord." Repeating the words "Have thine own way," each stanza emphasizes the believer's harmony with God's will. This is a deeply personal prayer that culminates in a strong plea that others may see Christ in the believer through the power of the Holy Spirit (st. 4).

Originally called Sarah, Pollard chose the name Adelaide for herself. She studied speech at the Boston School of Oratory and taught in several girls' schools in Chicago, Illinois. Influenced by the evangelist R. A. Torrey, she enrolled as a student at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and later taught at the Missionary Training School of the Christian Missionary Alliance in Nyack-on-the Hudson, New York. A missionary in Africa prior to World War I, she devoted the last years of her life to Christian mysticism.

Liturgical Use:
For believers to dedicate themselves individually and collectively to follow the will of the Lord; stanza 2 suggests use in the service of confession and forgiveness, but as a whole the song fits best as a post-sermon hymn.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1987

Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
50 Favorites: and July 2013 index of supplement to Evening Light Songs #14
  • Full Score (PDF)
Baptist Hymnal 1991 #294
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
The Cyber Hymnal #2638
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #287
  • Full Score (PDF, XML)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
The United Methodist Hymnal #382
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
Worship and Rejoice #486

Instances

Instances (1 - 58 of 58)
TextPage Scan

50 Favorites #14

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

African American Heritage Hymnal #449

TextPage Scan

African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #345

Ambassador Hymnal #460

TextAudioPage Scan

Baptist Hymnal 1991 #294

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Baptist Hymnal 2008 #544

TextPage Scan

Celebrating Grace Hymnal #493

TextPage Scan

Chalice Hymnal #588

Church Gospel Songs and Hymns #62

Page Scan

Complete Mission Praise #212

TextPage Scan

CPWI Hymnal #521

First Baptist Favorites #25

Gospel Songs of Praise #19

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #597

Hymnal #504

TextPage Scan

Hymns for a Pilgrim People #366

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Faith #325

Hymns of the Christian Life #226

TextPage Scan

Lead Me, Guide Me (2nd ed.) #513

TextPage Scan

Lift Every Voice and Sing II #145

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Lift Up Your Hearts #737

TextPage Scan

One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism #153

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #197

Praise y Adoración #250a

Page Scan

Praise! Our Songs and Hymns #445

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #287

Page Scan

Rejoice Hymns #494

Rock of Ages A Worship and Songbook for Retirement Living #55

Page Scan

Sacred Selections for the Church #84

TextFlexScorePage Scan

Santo, Santo, Santo #626

TextPage Scan

Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #567

TextPage Scan

Sing Joyfully #414

Audio

Small Church Music #71

Songs of Fellowship #156

Page Scan

Soul-stirring Songs and Hymns (Rev. ed.) #306

TextPage Scan

The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal #492

TextPage Scan

The Celebration Hymnal #591

The Christian Life Hymnal #298

Page Scan

The Covenant Hymnal #381

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2638

TextPage Scan

The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #371

TextPage Scan

The New National Baptist Hymnal (21st Century Edition) #206

Text

The Song Book of the Salvation Army #487

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

The United Methodist Hymnal #382

The United Methodist Hymnal Music Supplement II #2

TextPage Scan

The Worshiping Church #584

TextPage Scan

This Far By Faith #152

TextAudio

Timeless Truths #1130

TextPage Scan

Total Praise #439

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #688

TextPage Scan

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #533

TextScoreFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Worship and Rejoice #486

TextPage Scan

Worship and Service Hymnal #386

Worship His Majesty #540

TextAudio

Worship in Song #161

Worship Together #127

TextPage Scan

Yes, Lord! #313

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship #327

Include 248 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us