Scripture Verse

He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him. Matthew 3:16

Introduction

portrait
Frederick W. Faber (1814–1863)

Words: Fred­er­ick W. Fa­ber, Ora­to­ry Hymns, 1854.

Music: Bos­sin­ey Gus­tav T. Holst, in The Eng­lish Hym­nal (Lon­don: Ox­ford Uni­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 571 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Gustav T. Holst (1874–1934)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

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Holy Ghost, come down upon Thy children,
Give us grace and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessèd Spi­rit, Dove divine.

For all within us good and holy
Is from Thee, Thy precious gift;
In all our joys, in all our sorrows,
Wistful hearts to Thee we lift.

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For Thou to us art more than Fa­ther,
More than sister, in Thy love,
So gentle, patient, and forbearing,
Holy Spi­rit, heavenly Dove.

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O we have grieved Thee, gracious Spi­rit!
Wayward, wanton, cold are we;
And still our sins, new every morning,
Never yet have wearied Thee.

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Ah! Sweet Consoler, though we cannot
Love Thee as Thou lovest us,
Yet if Thou deign’st our hearts to kindle
They will not be always thus.

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With hearts so vile how dare we venture,
King of kings, to love Thee so?
And how canst Thou, with such compassion,
Bear so long with things so low?

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