Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue

Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue. Anne Steele. [Psalm 103.] This metrical paraphrase of Psalm 103 was written by Anne Steele and first published in her Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional (1760, volume II, page 206). It was reprinted in the posthumous edition of her works in 1780 and subsequently preserved in Daniel Sedgwick's collected reprint of Miss Steele's Hymns in 1863. The original composition is an extensive devotional poem consisting of 16 stanzas of 4 lines.

Because of its length, the complete poem was rarely sung in public worship, but a four-stanza cento gained moderate currency in both British and American hymnals. This abbreviated form incorporates stanzas i, ii, xi, and xvi with slight verbal modifications. Among the notable collections that adopted this selection are James Martineau's Hymns for the Christian Church and Home (1840 and 1873) in England, as well as the American Baptist Service of Song (Boston, 1872). The hymn provides a reflective call to personal thanksgiving, celebrating God's merciful restoration and enduring lovingkindness.