Worship Supplement ‎#755

755. 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
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 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
• Paraphraser: Richard Frederick Littledale, 1833-90
• Author: Bianco da Siena, d. 1434 (cento)
• Publication Date: 1969
• Topic: The Trinity: The Holy Spirit
• Notes: Italian: Descendi, amor santo

Tune Information

• Name: DOWN AMPNEY
• Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958
• Meter: 6. 6. 11. D
• Key: D Major
• Copyright: © Oxford University Press