1. I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me? I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me? 2. My Father's house of light, My glory circled throne, I left, for earthly night, For wanderings sad and lone; I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me? I left, I left it all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me? 3. I suffered much for thee, More than the tongue can tell, Of bitterest agony, To rescue thee from hell; I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me? I've borne, I've borne it all for thee, What hast thou borne for Me? 4. And I have brought to thee, Down from My home above, Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love; I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me? I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee, What hast thou brought to Me?
Lyrics: Frances
Ridley Havergal
Music: Philip Paul Bliss
Tune: KENOSIS
Meter: 6.6.6.6.8.8.
Frances R. Havergal, 1836–1879
A vivid painting of Christ, wearing His crown of thorns as He stands before Pilate and the mob, is displayed in the art museum of Dusseldorf, Germany. Under the painting by Sternberg are the words, “This have I done for thee; what hast thou done for Me?” When Frances Havergal viewed the painting during a visit to Germany, she was deeply moved. As she gazed at it in tears, she scribbled down the lines of this hymn text on a scrap of paper. After returning to her home in England, she felt the poetry was so poor that she tossed the lines into a stove. The scorched scrap of paper amazingly floated out of the flames and landed on the floor, where it was found by Frances’ father, Rev. William Havergal, an Anglican minister, a noted poet, and a church musician. He encouraged her to preserve the poem by composing the first melody for it. The tune was composed for this text by the noted American gospel songwriter, Philip P. Bliss, and was first published in 1873.