1002. Come Down, O Love Divine

1. Come down, O love divine,
seek Thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing.
O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear,
And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

2. O let it freely burn,
til earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
And let Thy glorious light shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

3. Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

4. And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling;
For none can guess its grace, till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.

Text Information
First Line: Come down, O love divine
Title: Come Down, O Love Divine
Italian Title: Discendi, Amor santo
Author: Bianco of Siena, ?-1434
Translator (from Italian): Richard F. Littledale
Meter: 66.11 D
Language: English
Source: Laudi spirituali del Bianco da Siena, edited by T. Bini, 1851; Translation: The People's Hymnal, 1867
Copyright: Public Domain
Tune Information
Name: DOWN AMPNEY
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1906)
Meter: 66.11 D
Incipit: 12356 55651 76556
Key: D Major
Copyright: Public Domain



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