Holy Spirit, Truth Divine (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 398)
Holy Spirit, truth divine, dawn upon this soul of mine;
breath of God and inward light, wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Holy Spirit, love divine, glow within this heart of mine;
kindle ev’ry high desire; purge me with your holy fire.
Holy Spirit, pow’r divine, fortify this will of mine;
by your will I strongly live, bravely bear and nobly strive.
Holy Spirit, peace divine, still this restless heart of mine;
speak to calm this tossing sea, stayed in your tranquility.
Holy Spirit, right divine, king within my conscience reign;
be my guide, and I shall be firmly bound, forever free.
Text: Samuel Longfellow; Music: Orland Gibbons; Public Domain
Devotion
In Wednesday’s reflection on the reading from 1 John, it was noted how the author points to the Holy Spirit as “the one who testifies to true faith.” Samuel Longfellow captures that assertion well in the first line of this hymn, and then in subsequent verses goes on to explore other aspects of the Spirit’s divine gifts: love, power, peace, right or justice. With each of these in turn are expressions of how those gifts are experienced: truth brings inward light and clear insight; love offers the glow of inspiration; power fortifies the will to live strongly; peace stills the restless heart; and right moves the conscience to be our guide. In sum, just as the readings for this week have done, these short verses offer fruitful reflection on the gift of the Spirit to range through many aspects of the life of faith as it engages in a complex world and daily experience.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, truth divine, dawn upon our heart and mind, so that in all our life we may be bound to you in love, and so in all we do may be forever free in the exercise of love. Amen.