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O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer; This is my constant longing and prayer; Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. |
| O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness; Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart. |
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O to be like Thee! full of compassion, Loving, forgiving, tender and kind, Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting, Seeking the wand'ring sinners to find. |
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O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit, Holy and harmless, patient and brave; Meekly enduring cruel reproaches, Willing to suffer, others to save. |
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O to be like Thee! Lord, I am coming, Now to receive th' anointing divine; All that I am and have I am bringing; Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine. |
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O to be like Thee! While I am pleading Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love. Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling, Fit for a life which Thou wouldst approve. |
Second Timothy 4:22 says, "The Lord be with your spirit." This Lord is the life-giving Spirit. When we pray and petition before the Lord, the Spirit comes into our spirit and dwells in us forever. Furthermore, He is waiting for us to love Him. He takes possession of us whenever we say, "Lord Jesus, I love You." The more we love Him, the more we are possessed by Him. The last stanza of Hymns, #398 says, "O to be like Thee! While I am pleading / Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love. / Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling, / Fit for a life which Thou wouldst approve." That we live a life approved by the Lord means that we take the Lord's mind as our mind, take the Lord's emotion as our emotion, and take the Lord's will as our will. We also take the Lord's love, light, holiness, and righteousness as our love, light, holiness, and righteousness. The Lord and we, we and the Lord, are completely one. We are just the same as He is. For to us, to live is Christ.
Piano Hymns
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Ontario
I love this hymn. I love both the lyrics and how it fits perfectly into my vocal range.
Lome, Togo
This song is really inspiring. If only we could be like Jesus. My prayer is that the Lord help us live a Christ-like life. I have been listening and singing this song since morning. The words of the song are very deep.
Plymouth, United Kingdom
What a lovely song, it reveals what the heart of through Christian should look like. It has been one of my deepest favourite songs. With deep concern looking at what Christianity is turning to in our present generation, may the Lord open us up again like in the old good days of our father in faith and stamp deeply in our heart the pure image of Christ which produces pure holiness that can grant us entrance to Heaven.
Lagos, Nigeria
The first time I heard this hymn was in a camp in year 2001. While singing the hymn, I cried like a baby to God for holiness. It's such a song that imprints on my heart the desire to be holy. Am particularly always moved with the chorus.
Trinidad, Texas, United States
I love this song from my childhood.
London, United Kingdom
I have three favourite hymns and this is one of them. Thank you for sharing the lyrics.
Detroit, MI, United States
When people were introduced to Thomas O. Chisholm, the author of this hymn and of "Great is Thy Faithfulness", he would often say, "Aw, I'm just an old shoe!"
Born in a Kentucky log cabin in 1866, Chisholm was self-educated and began teaching in a rural school when he was 16. At age 27, the Kentucky farm boy wrote this hymn, "O to Be Like Thee!" He served on the staff of the "Pentecostal Herald" in Louisville until his health broke. He was accepted as a traveling preacher in the Methodist Church, but once again health problems caused him to resign. Regretfully he had to leave the ministry. Eventually he became a life insurance agent.
Throughout his life he displayed many of the characteristics that he praised in Jesus in the hymns he wrote. - Great Songs of Faith by Brown and Norton
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Despite his health limitations, he lived to 93.
Baton Rouge, LA, United States
This song came (partially) to mind when I was with a friend a while ago. I groped for some of the words, unsuccessfully while we were together, but then, on my way home, I remembered "stamp Thine own image deep on my heart," and called to tell her what they were. She really liked the chorus and suggested I look it up online, so I DID, and voila... there were ALL the words, and I was able to sing the song to the piano music online! Am truly grateful for composers who love the Lord and can put it into words!!
Thank You Lord, for a wonderful day and a wonderful song! I totally agree with Shirley D. Banks in Riverside, New Jersey--that this is a beautiful prayer, and yes, it is in agreement with the Word, Jesus' words specifically. Thank you Thomas Obediah Chisolm and William James Kirkpatrick!! I know y'all are with my Lord. Hope you tell Him a special "Hi" from me!!
Riverside, NJ, United States
PRAISE THE LORD!!!
Oh! My! What a beautiful prayer request!!! This is indeed my heart's desire and I know it will be will be answered because it is in accordance with Jesus's will as HE prayed for us in HIS High Priestly Prayer in John Chapter 17.
This a very inspiring song. TO GOD BE THE GLORY, BOTH NOW AND FOREVER!!!
Wilmington, Delaware, United States
This is a wonderful website service. I was meditating this week and this hymn came to my mind. I search the web. and Voila, it came right up. Thank you. Thank you. Do you take small donations or are you already funded?