Evangelical Lutheran Worship ‎#804

804. Come Down, O Love Divine

1 Come down, O Love divine;
seek out 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 Oh, 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 pow'r of human telling;
no soul can guess Love's grace
till it 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
• Author: Bianco da Siena, d. 1434
• Translator: Richard F. Littledale, 1833-1890
• Meter: 6 6 11 6 6 11
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2006
• Topic: Invocation; Pentecost, Holy Spirit; Commitment, Discipleship; Humility

Tune Information

• Name: DOWN AMPNEY
• Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958
• Meter: 6 6 11 6 6 11
• Key: D Major