Come down, O Love divine

by Bianco da Siena · translated by Richard F. Littledak (1833–1890)

Representative text

As printed in The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal (1985), no. 257.

Verse 1

Come down, O Love divine, Seek thou 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.

Verse 2

O 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.

Verse 3

Let holy charity Mine outward vesture be, And lowliness become My inner clothing; True lowliness of heart Which takes the humbler part, And o’er its own shortcomings Weeps with loathing.

Verse 4

And so the yearning strong With which the soul will long Shall far out pass the Power of human telling; For none can guess its grace, Till he become the place Wherein the Holy Spirit Makes a dwelling.