Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Contrite Heart

Traditional

“The Contrite Heart” as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 395 1920 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Army and Navy Hymnal, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

O MY God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God;

For our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens.

Verse 2

Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty unto this day

For we are bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage,

But hath extended lovingkindness unto us.

And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt,

Seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve,

Shall we again break thy commandments?

Lord, the God of Israel, thou art righteous;

Behold, we are before thee in our guiltiness; for none can stand before thee because of this.

Verse 3

UNTO thee, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

O my God, in thee have I trusted let me not be put to shame;

Show me thy ways, Lord; teach me thy paths.

Guide me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation;

For thee do I wait all the day. Remember, Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses;

For they have been ever of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:

According to thy loving kindness remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he instruct sinners in the way.

The meek will he guide in justice; and the meek will he teach his way.

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth

Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For thy name's sake, Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.

Oh keep my soul, and deliver me:

Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in thee.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for thee.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), “The Contrite Heart”

The 1920 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; traditional and anonymous entries are public domain. Pages whose scan quality is below the proofread threshold are held for review.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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