Lyrics
Chorus
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You
Verse 1
It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord
Who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.
Chorus
Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and Holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving I'll be a living
Sanctuary for you
Verse 2
Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with
Your holy spirit
Take away all my sin
Chorus
Lord prepare me to be sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You
Credits & Song Information
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“Sanctuary” (Lord, Prepare Me to Be a Sanctuary), sung here by Randy Rothwell, is a prayer of dedication. The chorus asks to be made “pure and holy, tried and true” and, “with thanksgiving,” to become “a living sanctuary for You.” The picture is of the believer’s own life as the place where God dwells.
The first verse credits the Lord as the one who came to save “the heart and soul of every man” and who knows the singer’s weakness and gives strength. The second verse asks to be led away from temptation, purified from within, and filled with the Holy Spirit, with sin taken away.
The idea of the believer as a dwelling for God is close to 1 Corinthians 6:19, which calls the body a temple of the Holy Spirit, and to Romans 12:1. The request for inner cleansing recalls Psalm 51:10. The song is brief and personal, asking God to prepare the one who offers worship.
Related Scripture
- 1 Corinthians 6:19 The body as a temple of the Holy Spirit
- Romans 12:1 Presenting oneself as a living sacrifice
- Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God”