1 Spirit of God, descend upon my heart,
wean it from sin, through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as you are,
and make me love you 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 Did you not bid us love you, God and King,
love you with all our heart and strength and mind?
I see the cross— there teach my heart to cling.
O let me seek you and O let me find!
4 Teach me to feel that you are always nigh;
teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
to check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
teach me the patience of unceasing prayer.
5 Teach me to love you as your angels love,
one holy passion filling all my frame:
the fullness of the heaven-descended Dove;
my heart an altar, and your love the flame.
George Croly
The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition
<idle musing>
I don't recall ever singing this hymn. It occurs in 333 hymnals and is the most popular hymn that this person wrote. I do like the variation that hymnary.org gives for the first line: "Spirit of God, who dwells within my heart." It definitely is more scriptural!
</idle musing>
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