"First a Heartfelt Song We'll Raise" (1894)
Words and Music by George Frederick Root, 1820-1895

[Source: page 3 from "The Treble Clef Choir"]

1.
First a heartfelt song we'll raise,
In our great Redeemer's praise,
Who to us, in love hath given,
Joys of earth and hope of heaven.
Oh, in ev'rything we do,
May we to our Lord be true.

2.
Sometimes here we'll sing of home,
And of joys and hopes to come,
Sometimes with more earnest voice
In our native land rejoice.
But in ev'rything we do,
May we to our Lord be true.

3.
Sometimes songs of nature fair,
Of the earth, the stream, the air;
Sometimes in a sweet refrain,
We may sing a gayer strain.
But in ev'rything we do,
May we to our Lord be true.

4.
May we help thy cause in song,
Thou to whom our lives belong;
Keeping ever near to thee,
Whatsoe'er our song may be.
Then in ev'ry note we sing,
We'll be loyal to our King.