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 (1 more...)
Tune Information
Name: DOWN AMPNEY
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958
Meter: 6 6 11 6 6 11
Key: D Major



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