Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart

Above:  Baptism at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Dalton, Georgia, June 16, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Words by George Croly (1780-1860), an Anglican (Church of Ireland then Church of England) priest, poet, and novelist

Hymn Source = The Church Hymnary (1927), of various Old World Presbyterian denominations

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1.  Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;

Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;

Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art,

And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

2.  I ask no dream, no prophet-ecstasies,

No sudden rending of the veil of clay,

 No angel-visitant, no opening skies;

But take the dimness of my soul away.

3.  Hast Thou not bed me love Thee, God and King–

All, all Thine own, soul, heart, and strength, and mind?

I see Thy Cross–there teach my heart to cling:

O let me seek Thee, and O let me find!

4.  Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,

To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

5.  Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,

One holy passion filling all my frame–

The baptism of the heaven-descended Dove,

My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame.