Scripture Verse

The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Romans 5:5

Introduction

portrait
John B. Dykes (1823–1876)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Sac­red Songs 1707–09, Book 2, num­ber 34. Breath­ing Af­ter the Ho­ly Spi­rit; or, Fer­ven­cy of de­vo­tion de­sired.

Music: St. Ag­nes John B. Dykes, in Hym­nal for Use in the Eng­lish Church, by John Grey, 1866 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Lyrics

Come, Holy Spi­rit, heav’n­ly Dove,
With all Thy quick’n­ing pow­ers;
Kindle a flame of sac­red love
In these cold hearts of ours.

Look how we gro­vel here below,
Fond of these trif­ling toys;
Our souls can nei­ther fly nor go
To reach eter­nal joys.

In vain we tune our for­mal songs,
In vain we strive to rise;
Hosannas lang­uish on our tongues,
And our de­vo­tion dies.

Dear Lord! and shall we ev­er live
At this poor dy­ing rate?
Our love so faint, so cold to Thee,
And Thine to us so great?

Come, Ho­ly Spi­rit, heav’n­ly Dove,
With all Thy quick’n­ing pow­ers;
Come, shed abroad the Sav­ior’s love
And that shall kin­dle ours.