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這首詩歌(《聖徒詩歌》313首）) 作者是英國女詩人海弗格爾（Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-1879）所作。詩歌作者請參考—— 海弗格尔和他的诗歌

甚麼時候當我們聽見主以柔聲叩門問說：「為你我捨這些，為我你捨何情？」我們的心頂自然的，也要回應說：「主！你得著我一生，使它歸你成為聖。」

一八七四年某日，海弗格爾在另一友人家中作客，因著主奇妙的帶領，激發了她寫這首詩的靈感。在她日後致友人函中曾述及該詩產生的經過：「我在一個朋友家中小住五天，那裏一共住著十個人，有的還未得救，有的雖已得救，卻非喜樂的基督徒。主感動我為他們禱告說：主阿！把這屋子裏的人都賜給我吧！主果如此作了。在我離去以先，全家大小都蒙到了神的祝福。最後一個晚上臨睡前，忽然有人進來對我說：有兩位女孩子正在痛哭，請你趕快去看一下。我就連忙過去照顧她們，引領她們悔改歸主。這兩個女教師的女兒即晚清楚得救，流淚為笑。全屋的人因此喜樂得不能入睡，我們就整夜頌讚神，我也從新將自己奉獻給主。當時這首詩的詞句便一節一節的呈現在心中，直到末了一句－－『永遠失去在你裏』(Ever only’ all for Thee)。」

四年以後，海弗格爾又在信上說：「神進一步引導我，使我清楚明白：得著我金與我銀，分文不由我留存(Take my silver and my gold；Not a mite I with hold)。這一節詩詞的真實意義。於是我甘心變賣一切金銀飾物，全數奉獻與主，為著教會傳福音使用。我只留下一支針佩在身上，為的要記念我的母親。」

海弗格爾最後一本的著作《留為主用》(Kept For The Master’s Use)，就是根據她所作的這首奉獻詩的每節含義而寫成，從十二方面說到我們該將自己一切所是、所能、所有，完全留為主用。這本書直至海弗格爾病故後始出版，連同她最後的詩集《在祂的蔭下》(Under His Shadow)，成為教會中不朽屬靈的產業。

本詩原是沒有副歌的，乃是後人加添上去。至於曲調，本是採用海弗格爾父親所譜的「拔摩」(Patmos)調。但編輯詩歌的人，卻另配上好幾種不同的曲子，有的採用莫扎特(Mozart)的、有的採用衛柏(Weber)的，我們詩集所用的是諾丁漢(Nottingham)的曲子。

海弗格爾早年奉獻事主以後，即以多病之身，不斷兼任傳福音，造就聖徒、寫詩、製譜、著書等工作，並且藉著書信與上千的信徒相交，解答靈性上問題，未或稍懈。有一天曾感歎息地說：「我盼望到了天上的時候，天使暫時把我擺在一邊，好讓我歇一口氣。」

一八七八年六月三日，海弗格爾年甫四十二歲，因患重感冒轉入肺炎，終告不治。據她忠實的同伴瑪莉姊妹(Sister Marie)的日記所記，海弗格爾臨終前面露光彩，並帶笑容，雙手扶搭胸前，說：「在那邊一切舊事已過，何等有福的安息！」並唱：「天上金琴彈起，天使高聲颺。」(海弗格爾另作)當唱至「祂」時，便安然離世，安睡在主懷裏。

司布真(C.H.Spurgeon)一次講道時，論到海弗格爾說：「海弗格爾姊妹的離世乃是教會的一大損失，但她卻是被提去加強天上的音樂。」

在海弗格爾的墓碑上刻著：「我主耶穌基督的血，洗淨我的一切不義。」由此我們看見一個奉獻給主的人，乃是認識基督寶血的人。

兩千年來，講到奉獻的詩歌，很少有一首像這首詩歌一樣。直到今日，在中國大陸、台灣、香港、新加坡等地，神特別使用這首詩歌，呼召了不少人把自己奉獻給主，更新我們與主所立的約。在這首詩里面，第一節說到把自己一生都奉獻給主，接著第二節是雙手與兩足和口與舌；第三節說到金銀和才智；第四節說到意志和愛與情；第五節說到全人，靈、魂、體一切都為著主。我們何等盼望，今天有更多神的兒女，因著海弗格爾詩歌的激勵把自己奉獻給主。當主再來的那日，在極重無比的榮耀裏，盼望我們與所有愛神的兒女同唱這首感人的詩歌！摘自一九六四年《話語職事》

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

One of the most dedicated Christian women of the nineteenth century, Frances was the youngest child of a Church of England minister. Though she was always in frail health, she led an active life, encouraging many people to turn to Jesus and others to seek a deeper spiritual walk. Frances had begun reading and memorizing the Bible at the age of four (eventually memorizing The Psalms, Isaiah and most of the New Testament). At seven she wrote her first poems. Several of her mature verses became hymns. In addition to "Take My Life," she wrote such favorites as "I Gave My Life for Thee," "Like a River Glorious," and "Who Is on the Lord's Side?" Because her voice was lovely, Frances was in demand as a concert soloist. She also was a brilliant pianist and learned several modern languages as well as Greek and Hebrew. With all her education, however, Frances Havergal maintained a simple faith and confidence in her Lord. She never wrote a line of poetry without praying over it.

More Information on Frances Havergal

Take My Life and Let It Be was written by Miss Havergal in 1874. She has left the following account— I went for a little visit of five days. There were ten persons in the house; some were unconverted and long prayed for, some converted but not rejoicing Christians. He gave me the prayer, ‘Lord, give me all in this house.’ And He just did. Before I left the house, everyone had got a blessing. The last night of my visit I was too happy to sleep and passed most of the night in renewal of my consecration, and these little couplets formed themselves and chimed in my heart one after another ’til they finished with ‘ever only, ALL FOR THEE!’ Her prayer, Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold, was not lightly stated.

In August, 1878, Miss Havergal wrote to a friend: The Lord has shown me another little step, and, of course, I have taken it with extreme delight. ‘Take my silver and my gold’ now means shipping off all my ornaments to the church Missionary House, including a jewel cabinet that is really fit for a countess, where all will be accepted and disposed of for me...I don’t think I ever packed a box with such pleasure.

Frances Havergal wrote her famous hymn, Take My Life in 1874. It was not until 1878 that the lines were put into print. When she read the second stanza:

she was suddenly convicted of her failure to do just that. She had an amazing collection of exquisite jewelry, most of which came by gift or inheritance. Immediately, she packed the jewels, and sent them to her church missionary society. Then, just to be sure, she included a check to cover the monetary value of the jewels she had chosen to keep! I don’t think I need to tell you I have never packed a box with such pleasure! she exclaimed.