1
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.
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.
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
2
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.
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinners to find.
3
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
4
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.
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing;
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
5
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.
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love.
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit for a life which Thou wouldst approve.
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Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
To be like Jesus! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinners to find.
Kolwezi, Katanga, Democratic Republic Of Congo
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer... This is my prayer and deep burning desire, O Lord Jesus!!!
Cold Spring, Kentucky, United States
Wonderful hymn to start the day with! Thank you for the effort you have made to include these in the daily prayer time.
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.