The Good That I Would I Do Not

Representative Text

1 I would, but cannot sing,
I would, but cannot pray;
For satan meets me when I try,
And frights my soul away.

2 I would, but can't repent,
Tho' I endeavor oft;
This stony heart can ne'er relent,
'Till Jesus makes it soft.

3 I would, but cannot love,
Tho' wooed by love divine;
No arguments have pow'r to move
A soul so base as mine.

4 I would, but cannot rest
In God's most holy will;
I know what he appoints is best,
Yet murmur at it still.

5 O could I but believe!
Then all would easy be;
I would but cannot--Lord relieve;
My help must come from thee!



Source: Hymns, Selected and Original: for public and private worship (1st ed.) #291

Author: John Newton

John Newton (b. London, England, 1725; d. London, 1807) was born into a Christian home, but his godly mother died when he was seven, and he joined his father at sea when he was eleven. His licentious and tumul­tuous sailing life included a flogging for attempted desertion from the Royal Navy and captivity by a slave trader in West Africa. After his escape he himself became the captain of a slave ship. Several factors contributed to Newton's conversion: a near-drowning in 1748, the piety of his friend Mary Catlett, (whom he married in 1750), and his reading of Thomas Ă  Kempis' Imitation of Christ. In 1754 he gave up the slave trade and, in association with William Wilberforce, eventually became an ardent abolitionist. After becoming a tide… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: I would, but cannot sing
Title: The Good That I Would I Do Not
Author: John Newton
Meter: 6.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

ST. THOMAS (Williams)

ST. THOMAS is actually lines 5 through 8 of the sixteen-line tune HOLBORN, composed by Aaron Williams (b. London, England, 1731; d. London, 1776) and published in his Collection (1763, 1765) as a setting for Charles Wesley's text "Soldiers of Christ, Arise" (570). The harmonization is by Lowell Maso…

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WEST JEFFERSON

«based on a tune given in The Sound of the Dove, p. 142 "as sung by Elder Eddie Lyle, 24 July 1982, West Jefferson, North Carolina"»

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SOUTHWELL (Daman)


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #3155
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 67 of 67)

A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the United Brethren in Christ #d163

A New and Beautiful Collection of Select Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d141

A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs from the Best Authors #d98

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A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #H.CXCIII

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A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #H.CXCIII

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A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. #309

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A Selection of Hymns, from the Best Authors #107

A Selection of Hymns, from Various Authors #d178

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A Selection of Hymns #CCCIX

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Baptist Hymn Book #aB54

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Christian's Duty, exhibited in a series of hymns #131

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Divine Hymns or Spiritual Songs, for the use of religious assemblies and private Christians #C

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Divine Hymns, or Spiritual Songs #96

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Dupuy's Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Rev. corr. and enl.) #151

Gesangbuch fuer Deutsche Sonntagsschulen #d91

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Hymn and Tune Book for Use in Old School or Primitive Baptist Churches #423

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians. 9th ed. #d87

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs (New ed.) #18

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Use of Christians #d64

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians #52

Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the Use of Christians. 8th ed. #d85

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, for the Use of Christians #d43

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Selected and Original. 7th ed. #d204

Hymns for Conference Meetings and Private Devotions #d65

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Hymns of the Church Militant #458

Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs, including Some Never Before in Print #d157

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Hymns, Selected and Original, for Public and Private Worship #291

TextPage Scan

Hymns, Selected and Original #291

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Hymns #291

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Hymns #291

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Hymns #291

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Hymns #291

Pilgrim Songster #d52

Primitive Baptist Hymn and Tune book #d178

Primitive Baptist Hymn Book for All Lovers of Sacred Song. 3rd ed. #d101

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The Baptist Hymn Book #733

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The Baptist Hymn Book #B54

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The Baptist Psalmody #704

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The Christian Harmonist #52

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The Christian's Duty #CXXXI

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The Christians Duty, exhibited, in a series of Hymns #CXXXI

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The Cluster of Spiritual Songs, Divine Hymns and Sacred Poems #CDLXXXVIII

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #3155

The Good Old Songs #d253

The Good Old Songs #d251

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the Most Approved Authors #CXXXIX

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The Hartford Selection of Hymns #CXXXIX

The Prayer Meeting Hymn Book #d135

The Primitive Hymns #d275

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The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #1027

Tune InfoTextAudio

TTT-Himnaro Cigneta #523

TextAudio

TTT-Himnaro Cigneta #523a

Exclude 64 pre-1979 instances
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