The New English Hymnal ‎#137

137. Come down, O Love divine

1 Come down, O Love divine,
Seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
Within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

2 O let it freely burn,
Till 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 it become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.

Text Information

• First Line: Come down, O Love divine
• Author: Bianco da Siena, d. 1434
• Translator: R. F. Littledale, 1833-90
• Meter: 66 11 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1986
• Topic: The Christian Year: Pentecost or Whitsunday; Confirmation
• Source: Italian

Tune Information

• Name: DOWN AMPNEY
• Composer: R. Vaughan Wiliams, 1872-1958
• Meter: 66 11 D
• Key: D Major
• Copyright: By permission of Oxford Univeristy Press (from "English Praise")