by George Herbert (1593 - 1633)
My Joy, my Life, my Crown !
Language: English
My Joy, my Life, my Crown ! My heart was meaning all the day, Somewhat it fain would say, And still it runneth muttering up and down With only this, My Joy, my Life, my Crown ! Yet slight not those few words ; If truly said, they may take part Among the best in art : The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords Is, when the soul unto the lines accord. He who craves all the mind, And all the soul, and strength, and time, If the words only rhyme, Justly complains that somewhat is behind To make His verse, or write a hymn in kind. Whereas if the heart be moved, Although the verse be somewhat scant, God doth supply the want ; As when the heart says, sighing to be approved, “O, could I love !” and stops, God writeth, “Loved.”
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with The Poems of George Herbert, ed. by Ernest Rhys, London: Walter Scott, 1886, page 175.
Authorship:
- by George Herbert (1593 - 1633), "A True Hymn" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Henry) Walford Davies, Sir (1869 - 1941), "My Joy, my Life, my Crown", published 1931 [ voice and piano ], from Twenty-one songs, no. 9 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-09
Line count: 20
Word count: 146