Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire

636 Veni Creator. L. M. with refrain (Veni, Creator Spiritus)

1 Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
   And lighten with celestial fire;
   Thou the anointed Spirit art,
   Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart.

2 Thy blessed unction from above
   Is comfort, life, and fire of love.
   Enable with perpetual light
   The dullness of our blinded sight.

3 Anoint and cheer our soiled face
   With the abundance of Thy grace.
   Keep far our foes, give peace at home,
   Where Thou art guide, no ill can come.

4 Teach us to know the Father, Son,
   And Thee, of both, to be but one;
   That through the ages, all along,
   This may be our endless song:

Refrain (after the last stanza):
   Praise to Thy eternal merit,
   Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
                         Anonymous (9th or 10th century)
                         Tr. by John Cosin
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Not to be confused with a hymn by Charles Wesley that has the same first line. This one is far less popular, only occurring in a little over 100 hymnals. I don't recall ever singing it. According to hymnary.org, it should be attributed to a Rabanus Maurus, who lived fron 776 to 856, although his birth date is disputed.
</idle musing>