This is hymn 23 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
HYMN 23: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
2. 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,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5. 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,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.
TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, this hymn is perhaps the most comprehensive and personal prayer of surrender in all of hymnody. “Take My Life and Let It Be” is not a general statement of belief but a specific, clause-by-clause offering of every facet of our being to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It moves from the abstract offering of our life to the concrete surrender of our hands, feet, voice, possessions, mind, will, heart, and love. It is the practical outworking of what it means to be a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to vocalize a prayer of full surrender, to audit the areas of our life we may be withholding from God, and to dedicate ourselves afresh to His service. It is a hymn of discipleship that challenges superficial commitment and calls for wholehearted, practical devotion.
1. It is a Hymn of Time and Being (Verse 1)
The prayer begins with the totality of existence: “Take my life.” This is not about a single moment, but a state of being: “consecrated, Lord, to thee.” It then gets practical, asking for our “moments and my days”—the very fabric of our time—to be channels of “endless praise.” Our life is to become a continuous liturgy of worship, where ordinary time is infused with divine purpose.
2. It is a Hymn of Action and Direction (Verse 2)
We surrender our instruments of work and movement. Our “hands” are to be motivated not by selfish ambition or mere habit, but “at the impulse of thy love.” Our “feet” are to be directed by His purposes, making our journey through life “swift and beautiful for thee.” Our activity finds its true meaning and grace when it is guided by His Spirit.
3. It is a Hymn of Expression and Proclamation (Verse 3)
We offer our primary means of communication. Our “voice” is to be dedicated in its content (“always, only, for my King”) and our “lips” are to be vessels for “messages from thee.” This consecrates our speech, our witness, and our song to be used for His glory and the declaration of His truth, not our own opinions or complaints.
4. It is a Hymn of Resources and Capacities (Verse 4)
The surrender gets costly, touching our possessions (“silver and my gold”) and our mental faculties (“intellect”). We declare “not a mite would I withhold,” echoing the widow’s offering (Luke 21:1-4). We also surrender our reasoning, creativity, and skills, asking God to “use every power as thou shalt choose.” Our smarts and our stuff are tools for His kingdom.
5. It is a Hymn of Sovereignty and Identity (Verse 5)
This is the core of the surrender: the will and the heart. We pray for our stubborn “will” to be aligned with God’s, relinquishing ownership: “it shall be no longer mine.” We then offer our “heart,”the seat of our affections and desires, to be “thy royal throne.” We invite Christ to reign supremely from the very center of our emotional and spiritual life, displacing all other loves and loyalties.
6. It is a Hymn of Culmination and Essence (Verse 6)
The prayer culminates by offering the very wellspring of action: our “love.” We pour out its “treasure store” at His feet, acknowledging He is the only worthy recipient of our deepest affection. The final line is the ultimate summary: “Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee.”This is the goal: a unified person, wholly dedicated, in perpetual and exclusive devotion to Christ.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Is there a part of your life you have cordoned off from God’s control? Your time? Your finances? Your career ambitions? Your relationships? Your secret thoughts?
Let this hymn be your prayerful checklist today. Sing it slowly, meaning each word. Pause at each verse and ask the Lord: “Have I truly given you my feet to direct? My lips to fill? My will to shape?”
This is not a prayer to be sung lightly, but it is the prayer that leads to true freedom and purpose. As you offer each part, you are not losing yourself; you are finding your true self in His service. Offer yourself anew. The King awaits your total surrender, and in it, you will find your highest joy and your greatest usefulness.
Ever, only, all for Thee.
In the name of Jesus, our Lord and rightful King, Amen.
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