"Have Thine Own Way, Lord" is a Christian hymn with lyrics by Adelaide A. Pollard and music by George C. Stebbins was first published in 1907, in the "Northfield Hymnal with Alexander's Supplement". Later that year, it also appeared in two other popular hymnals, Ira Sankey's "Hallowed Hymns New and Old" and Sankey and Clement's "Best Endeavor Hymns".

Background

In 1902, Adelaide A. Pollard, a Bible teacher and hymn writer, was hoping to go to Africa as a missionary but found herself unable to raise the needed funds to make the journey. Greatly discouraged, she attended a prayer service one evening and as she sat there, she overheard an elderly woman say "It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord, just have your own way with our lives." The elderly woman inspired Pollard and she contemplated the story of the potter from Jeremiah 18:3 and, upon her return home that evening, wrote all four stanzas before retiring for the night.

Five years later George Stebbins wrote a tune titled "Adelaide" to accompany the text.

Lyrics

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

Recordings

"Have Thine Own Way, Lord" remains popular and has been recorded by such artists as: Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson

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, Marty Robbins

Marty Robbins

Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...

, Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...

, Eric Copeland, Cristy Lane

Cristy Lane

Eleanor Johnston, known by her professional name as Cristy Lane is an American country music and gospel music singer, best known for a number of major country hits in the late 70s and the early 1980s, including her cover version of the song, "One Day at a Time".Lane's career began to take shape in...

, Jim Reeves

Jim Reeves

James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...

, John Fogerty

John Fogerty

John Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...

, Ned Beatty

Ned Beatty

Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....

 and most, recently by, Ronnie Milsap

Ronnie Milsap

Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...

 on his 2009 gospel album, Then Sings My Soul

Then Sings My Soul (Ronnie Milsap album)

Then Sings My Soul is a 2009 inspirational double CD album recorded by country music singer Ronnie Milsap. To date, it is his first and only gospel recording ever. It features several traditional hymns along with Christian-altered hit singles, including Milsap's "What a Difference You've Made in My...

.

External links

• Words & music at the Cyber Hymnal
• "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" at Glimpses of Christian History