LSB #651 "I Love Your Kingdom, Lord"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 26:8, Colossians 3:15-16, Ephesians 6:18, Isaiah 30:19

Psalm 26:8:  "O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells."

Colossians 3:15-16:  "15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Ephesians 6:18:  "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints"

Isaiah 30:19:  "For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more.  He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry.  As soon as he hears it, he answers you."

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The text is public domain:

I love your kingdom, Lord,

The place of Your abode,

The Church our blest Redeemer saved

With His own precious blood.

Beyond my highest joy

I prize its heav'nly ways,

Its sweet communion, solemn vows,

Its hymns of love and praise.

I love Your Church, O God,

Your saints in ev'ry land,

Dear as the apple of Your eye

And graven on Your hand.

For them my tears shall fall;

For them my prayers ascend;

For them my cares and toils be giv'n

Till toils and cares shall end.

Sure as Your truth shall last,

To Zion shall be giv'n

The brightest glories earth can yield

And brighter bliss of heav'n.

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Psalm 26:8 appears in the first verse and again at the beginning of the third verse.

Colossians 3:15-16 seems to appear in the second verse, particularly the line "Its hymns of love and praise."

The fourth verse is drawn from Ephesians 6:18.  The anaphora there (the repeated "for them") even mirrors the anaphora in the Bible verse (the repeated "all").  In both texts, this anaphora provides a sense of constancy.

The last verse comes from Isaiah 30:19.

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The phrase "the apple of Your eye" in the third verse occurs a few times in the Bible.  In Deuteronomy 32:10, Moses describes how God "kept him [Jacob] as the apple of his eye," and in Psalm 17:8, the Psalmist writes, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."

The line "And graven on Your hand" in the same verse comes from Isaiah 49:16:  "Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me."  The context may be a bit different, but the Lutheran Worship version of this hymn may incorporate "your walls are continually before me" too.  In that version, this verse is:

I love your Church, O God!

Its walls before you stand,

Dear as the apple of your eye

And graven on your hand.