More Love to Thee

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More love to Thee, O Christ

Author: E. Prentiss (1856)
Tune: MORE LOVE TO THEE (Doane)
Prayer Songs
Published in 815 hymnals

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Playable presentation: Lyrics only, lyrics + music
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Song available on My.Hymnary

FlexScore
	More Love to Thee, O Christ

Piano/Organ
	He Leadeth Me (A budget-stretching resou…

Choral
	More Love to Thee

Representative Text

1 More love to Thee, O Christ,
More love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make
On bended knee;
This is my earnest plea:
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

2 Once earthly joy I craved,
Sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek,
Give what is best;
This all my prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

3 Then shall my latest breath
Whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry
My heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

Baptist Hymnal, 1991

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Author: E. Prentiss

Elizabeth Payson Prentiss USA 1818-1878. Born at Portland, ME, 5th child of Congregationalist minister, Edward Payson. He died of tuberculosis in 1827, and the family moved to New York City in 1831. That year she professed faith in Christ and joined the Bleeker Street Presbyterian Church. She possessed keen abilities, including sympathy and perceptiveness. She began writing stories and poems, and contributed her works to “The youth’s companion”, a New England religious periodical. In 1838 she opened a small girls’ school in her home and took up a Sabbath-school class as well. Two years later, she moved to Richmond, VA, to be a department head at a girls’ boarding school. In 1845 she married George Lewis Prentiss, a brothe… Go to person page >

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Related Texts

First Line:	More love to Thee, O Christ
Title:	More Love to Thee
Author:	E. Prentiss (1856)
Meter:	6.4.6.4.6.6.4 with repeat
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	More love, O Christ, to Thee
Notes:	Spanish translation: See "Mostrar más grande amor"; Swahili translation: See "Nijaze Bwanangu, na upendo"
Copyright:	Public Domain
Liturgical Use:	Prayer Songs

Year A, Easter season, Sixth Sunday
Related to John 14 (NPM)
Year A, Ordinary Time, Proper 8 (13)
Year A, Ordinary Time, Proper 25 (30)
This is recommended for Year A, Ordinary Time, Proper 25 (30) by 2 hymnal lectionary indexes including Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal #828.
Year B, Ordinary Time, Proper 23 (28)
Year B, Ordinary Time, Proper 26 (31)
This is recommended for Year B, Ordinary Time, Proper 26 (31) by 2 hymnal lectionary indexes including Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal #828.
Year C, Advent, Second Sunday
Year C, Lent, Fifth Sunday
Year C, Easter season, Third Sunday
Year C, Ordinary Time, Proper 20 (25)

Chinese

生命聖詩 - Hymns of Life, 1986 #359

English

10 shown out of 594

Korean

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship: the Korean-English Presbyterian hymnal and service book #318

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Tune

MORE LOVE TO THEE (Doane)

All tunes published with 'More Love to Thee'^ top

For Leaders

Bulletin Blurb
Worship Notes
Scores

This hymn is a prayer that the Christian would continue to make the love of God his or her highest aim in life, as the psalmist wrote: “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” (Psalm 73:24-25 ESV)

Text:

In 1856, Elizabeth Prentiss was going through a time of intense suffering, and hurriedly wrote this hymn as a prayer expressing her devotion to Christ. However, she did not show it to anyone until 1869, when it was completed and published as a leaflet. It became quite popular, and was included in William Doane's Songs of Devotion for Christian Associations in 1870.

There are four stanzas, and most hymnals include all of them, though a few omit the third (“Let sorrow do its work”). Each of the stanzas relates to a step in the Christian experience. The first stanza is about the prayer of submission to Christ. The second looks back on the pleasure-seeking life before one turns to Christ, while the third welcomes the effective, yet painful process of sanctification. The final stanza looks forward to the day when the Christian shall see Jesus face to face.

Tune:

William Doane wrote MORE LOVE TO THEE in 1870 for this text, with which it was published in Songs of Devotion for Christian Associations. The tune name derives from the first line of the text. This tune should be sung in harmony without dragging the tempo. Try singing the third stanza (if included) a cappella.

When/Why/How:

This hymn of dedication may be sung at any time of year, perhaps preceding a time of prayer. It could be paired with another hymn with a similar theme, such as “My Jesus, I Love Thee” or “Be Thou My Vision.” Another option is to have the organ or choir perform the hymn prior to prayer. An organ collection of nine pieces with the theme of “The Fruit of the Spirit” uses this hymn for the first fruit – love. One choral arrangement of “More Love to Thee, O Christ” has an optional cello obbligato.

Tiffany Shomsky,
Hymnary.org

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