1 Bless'd Jesus, source of grace divine
What soul-refreshing streams are thine!
O bring these healing waters nigh,
Or we must droop, and fall, and die.
2 No traveller thro' desert lands,
’Midst scorching suns, and burning sands,
More needs the current to obtain,
Or to enjoy refreshing rain.
3 Our longing souls aloud would sing,
Spring up, celestial fountain, spring;
To a redundant river flow,
And cheer this thirsty land below.
4 May this blest torrent near my side,
Thro' all the desert gently glide;
Then in Immanuel’s land above,
Spread to a sea of joy and love!
Source: A Selection of Hymns: from the best authors, intended to be an appendix to Dr. Watt's psalms and hymns. (1st Am. ed.) #CCVIII
First Line: | Blest Jesus, source of grace divine |
Title: | The Spirit's Influences Compared to Living Water |
Author: | Philip Doddridge |
Meter: | 8.8.8.8 |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | Public Domain |
Blest Jesus, Source of grace divine. P. Doddridge. [The Water of Life.] This hymn is No. 88 in the Doddridge manuscript, where it is undated. In J. Orton's edition of Doddridge's (posthumous) Hymns, &c, 1755, No. 221, it is given in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, with a text slightly differing from the D.MSS. It is also in J. D. Humphreys's edition of the same, 1839. Its most popular form is that given to it early in the century in some American Unitarian collections:— "Blest Spirit, Source of grace divine." In this form it is in the Unitarian Hymn [and Tune] Book, Boston, 18G8, and other hymnals.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)