Scripture Verse

Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

Introduction

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John Byrom (1692–1763)

Words: An­toin­ette Bourignon, cir­ca 1640 (Ve­nez, Jé­sus, mon sa­lu­taire). Ap­peared in her Works (Am­ster­dam, Hol­land: 1686). Trans­lated from French to Eng­lish pos­si­bly by John By­rom (1691–1763). The trans­la­tion was pub­lished in Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems, by Charles & John Wes­ley, 1739.

Julian wrote that this hymn ex­pressed her de­ter­mi­na­tion to live for Christ alone, a re­so­lu­tion which she came to whilst suf­fer­ing from her fa­ther’s an­ger be­cause she re­fused to mar­ry a man whom he had cho­sen for her.

Music: Bar­thol­dy, from Num­ber 6, Book 3 of Lied­er ohne Worte, Op­us 38, by Fe­lix Men­dels­sohn, 1837 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)

Lyrics

Come, Sav­ior, Je­sus, from above!
Assist me with Thy hea­ven­ly grace;
Empty my heart of earth­ly love,
And for Thy­self pre­pare the place.

O let Thy sac­red pre­sence fill,
And set my long­ing spi­rit free!
Which pants to have no oth­er will,
But day and night to feast on Thee.

While in this re­gion here be­low,
No oth­er good will I pur­sue:
I’ll bid this world of noise and show,
With all its glit­ter­ing snares, adieu!

That path with hum­ble speed I’ll seek,
In which my Sav­ior’s foot­steps shine,
Nor will I hear, nor will I speak,
Of any oth­er love but Thine.

Henceforth may no pro­fane de­light
Divide this con­se­crat­ed soul;
Possess it, Thou who hast the right,
As Lord and Mas­ter of the whole.