Purify my heart

While presenting a complete contrast in style, Brian Doerksen’s song starts where John Keble did at 806, but from the beginning makes his theme an individual prayer. Also known by the title ‘Refiner’s fire’, it was written and composed in 1990. After a ‘Spring Harvest’ introduction it featured in Bk 2 of Let’s Praise (‘Prayerfully’) in 1994, followed by MP, Sing Glory (1999) and other books. Among N American books, Worship and Rejoice (2001) features it. Scriptures called to mind include Malachi 3:2–3 and 2 Timothy 2:21. The author’s tune PURIFY MY HEART is inseparable from the text; it lends itself to a gentle blend of solo/group and congregation.

b British Columbia, Canada 1965. Mennonite Educational Inst, Abbotsford, BC; graduated 1983. Born of Ukrainian parents who belonged to the Mennonite Ch at Abbotsford, Brian ‘inherited a love of singing from his father, who led the singing on most Sundays’ (Companion to Church Hymnal, 2005). In 1984 he and his wife moved to Singapore to serve with YWAM but some 3 years later, at the age of 22, he returned to Canada to join the staff of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship. Although he had already written and composed songs, his main writing developed in this period; the first song to be published was the widely-used Faithful one. From 1997–99 he lived and worked in London, training worship leaders and songwriters in the UK and Ireland. Sing Glory (1999) includes 4 of his compositions. No.814.