Common Praise ‎#175a

175a. 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 he 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, 1833-1890
• Meter: 66 11 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2000
• Scripture:
  1 Peter 5:5
  ;
  Colossians 3:12
  ;
  Ephesians 3:16
  ;
  Ezekiel 20:43
  ;
  Ezekiel 36:26-31
  ;
  John 14:16
  ;
  Romans 8
• Topic: Epiphany II: Year C; Third Sunday Before Lent: Year C; Pentecost: Year B; Proper 6: Year A; Proper 25: Year C

Tune Information

• Name: DOWN AMPNEY
• Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958
• Meter: 66 11 D
• Key: D Major
• Copyright: © Oxford University Press, from "The English Hymnal," used by permission