Text:Come Down, O Love Divine
Author:Bianco da Siena (d. 1434)
Translator:Richard Frederick Littledale (1833-1890)
Tune:DOWN AMPNEY
Composer:Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

489. Come Down, O Love Divine

1 Come down, O Love Divine,
seek out this soul of mine,
and visit it with your own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.

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

3 Let holy charity
my outward vesture be,
and lowliness becomes my 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;
we cannot guess its grace,
till he become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

Text Information
First Line: Come down, O Love Divine
Title: Come Down, O Love Divine
Italian Title: Discendi, Amor santo
Translator: Richard Frederick Littledale (1833-1890) (alt.)
Author: Bianco da Siena (d. 1434)
Meter: 66 11 D
Language: English
Publication Date: 2005
Scripture: ; ; ; ; ;
Topic: Our Response to Christ: In Penitence; The Holy Spirit: The Coming of the Spirit; Holy Spirit: as Comforter (3 more...)
Tune Information
Name: DOWN AMPNEY
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Meter: 66 11 D
Key: D Major



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