O Lord, My God, Most Earnestly

O Lord, my God, most earnestly
My heart would seek Thy face,
Within Thy holy house once more
To see Thy glorious grace.

Apart from Thee I long and thirst,
And naught can satisfy;
I wander in a desert land
Where all the streams are dry.

The lovingkindness of my God
Is more than life to me;
So I will bless Thee while I live
And lift my prayer to Thee.

In Thee my soul is satisfied,
My darkness turns to light;
And joyful meditations fill
The watches of the night.

My Savior, ’neath Thy sheltering wings
My soul delights to dwell;
Still closer to Thy side I press,
For near Thee all is well.

Author: Unknown

This is a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 63. No specific author is credited in common hymnals or Psalters where it appears (often set to the tune 'St. Michael'). It is sometimes attributed simply to 'The Psalter, 1912' as a collective editorial work rather than a named individual. No strong alternate attributions found.