The Contrite Heart

The Lord will happiness divine

Author: William Cowper
Published in 123 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Author: William Cowper

William Cowper (pronounced "Cooper"; b. Berkampstead, Hertfordshire, England, 1731; d. East Dereham, Norfolk, England, 1800) is regarded as one of the best early Romantic poets. To biographers he is also known as "mad Cowper." His literary talents produced some of the finest English hymn texts, but his chronic depression accounts for the somber tone of many of those texts. Educated to become an attorney, Cowper was called to the bar in 1754 but never practiced law. In 1763 he had the opportunity to become a clerk for the House of Lords, but the dread of the required public examination triggered his tendency to depression, and he attempted suicide. His subsequent hospitalization and friendship with Morley and Mary Unwin provided emotional st… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The Lord will happiness divine
Title: The Contrite Heart
Author: William Cowper
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

The Lord will happiness divine. W. Cowper. [Lent.] Published in the Olney Hymns, 1779, Bk. i., No. 64, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "The contrite heart." It is in a large number of hymnals in Great Britain and America, and is specially suited for private use.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

CAMBRIDGE (Randall)


RICHMOND (Haweis)

RICHMOND (also known as CHESTERFIELD) is a florid tune originally written by Thomas Haweis (PHH 270) and published in his collection Carmina Christo (1792). Samuel Webbe, Jr., adapted and shortened the tune and published it in his Collection of Psalm Tunes (1808). It was reprinted in 1853 in Webbe's…

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SOHO


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #4106
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Instances

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The Cyber Hymnal #4106

The Sacred Harp #287

Include 121 pre-1979 instances
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