Words: , in J. H. Mey­er’s Col­lect­ion of Hymns for La­dy Hunt­ing­don’s Cha­pel (Lon­don: 1782).

Music: Lov­ing-Kind­ness, folk hymn; ap­peared in The Christ­ian Lyre, vol­ume 1, by Jo­shua Leav­itt, 1831. Ka­ther­ine Diehl at­trib­ut­ed it to Wil­liam Cald­well, before 1830. It was sub­se­quent­ly pub­lished in Cald­well’s Un­ion Har­mo­ny, 1837. Alternate tune:

  • Hebron, , 1830
  • O Heilige Dreifaltigkeit, , Die Son­tags Euan­gel­i­ca vber das gantze Jar (Wit­ten­berg, Ger­ma­ny: 1560)

Awake, my soul, to joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise;
He justly claims a song from me -
His lovingkindness, O how free!
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness, O how free!

He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
He saved me from my lost estate -
His lovingkindness, O how great!
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness, O how great!

Though numerous hosts of mighty foes,
Though earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along -
His lovingkindness, O how strong!
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness, O how strong!

When trouble, like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick and thundered loud,
He near my soul has always stood -
His lovingkindness, O how good!
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness, O how good!

Often I feel my sinful heart
Prone from my Jesus to depart;
But though I have him oft forgot,
His lovingkindness changes not.
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness changes not.

Soon I shall pass the gloomy vale,
Soon all my mortal powers must fail;
O! may my last expiring breath
His lovingkindness sing in death.
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness sing in death.

Then let me mount and soar away
To the bright world of endless day;
And sing with raptures and surprise,
His lovingkindness in the skies.
Lovingkindness, lovingkindness,
His lovingkindness in the skies.