Text:Come down, O Love divine
Author:Bianco de Siena, d. 1434
Translator:Richard Frederick Littledale, 1833-90
Tune:DOWN AMPNEY
Composer:Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958

398. Come down, O Love divine

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

2 There 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 garment be,
and lowliness become my inner clothing:
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part
and for 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 we become the place
in which the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.

Text Information
First Line: Come down, O Love divine
Author: Bianco de Siena, d. 1434
Translator: Richard Frederick Littledale, 1833-90 (alt.)
Meter: 66 11 D
Language: English
Publication Date: 1999
Scripture: ; ; ; ;
Topic: Comfort; Consummation in Christ; Devotion (7 more...)
Tune Information
Name: DOWN AMPNEY
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958
Meter: 66 11 D
Key: D Major
Copyright: Music from the "English Hymnal" by permission Oxford University Press



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