Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart

Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart
written by George Croly, 1780-1860

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.

Hast Thou not bid us love Thee, God and King?
All, in 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.

Teach me to feel that Thou art aways 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.

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame:
The baptism of the heav’n descended Dove-
My heart an altar and Thy love the flame.

I’ve always loved this song, especially played slowly, contemplatively, on the piano or a well-played acoustic guitar. Or cello.

I love the way it reads as a prayer- and with the repeating cry “teach me”… so often my heart’s cry, and yet not often enough.

Today, on this yet another Sunday, again my heart is crying out- Teach me, Lord!