Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879) wrote the words of the well-known hymn “Take my life and let it be.” It is a song of total commitment to her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ(note the words in Bold font). The words are:
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise…
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee…
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee…
Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose…
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne…
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee…
In our stanza from Psalm 119 today we note the psalmist also uses four of these metaphors. Read and note them below:
נ Nun
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow your righteous laws.
107 I have suffered much;
preserve my life, Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth,
and teach me your laws.
109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not strayed from your precepts.
111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.
Frances prays, “Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee.” The psalmist proclaims, 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path, thus revealing God’s wonderful provision of His Word to guide us and enable us to hate every wrong path (v. 104) and to help us keep from walking every evil path(v. 101), in fact He guides [us] along the right paths for his name’s sake (Psalm 23:3).
Is this your experience of God’s Word today?
Frances prays, “Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King. Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee.” The psalmist prays, 108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Wilcock writes: for the psalmist, “willing praise normally means offerings of cattle, sheep and goats… Willing praise was of course what such freewill offerings expressed. That would be the proper response from one who knows from experience both suffering and the renewing power of the Lord.” (# 5)
Is your mouth full of willing praise to God even in the hard times?
Frances prays, “Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love.” The psalmist says, 109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. This phrase is often used in English, meaning to do something that is very dangerous, especially where you risk death. In this stanza, this phrase is used in the context of the psalmist saying, the wicked have set a snare for me (v. 101). Wilcock adds, “The obvious means of avoiding traps laid by the wicked would be to stay at home; but he has committed himself to the way of the law and the precepts, and at whatever risk, he will pursue it.” (# 5)
What is the Lord asking you to do that you are afraid to do? Check out God’s promises concerning courage, e.g., Joshua 1:9
Frances prays, “Take my heart it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne.” The psalmist says, 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. Both are totally committed, wholeheartedly, to God and his purposes according to His Word.
Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
Where is your “treasure” today and what does that say about your heart?
Are you willing to say to Jesus today (and truly mean it), “Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee”?
Tehilim (Psalms) - "songs of praise". 