Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885) wrote the hymn “Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,” properly titled “The Grace of Charity, or Love, as
described in the Epistle.” It is Hymn XXVIII for Quinquagesima in The Holy Year; or, Hymns for Sundays and Holydays, And for other Occasions (London: Rivingtons, 1862, pp. 47-48).[i] The original printing
has eight stanzas, but most hymnals use no more than six. Wordsworth relates his
hymn to the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, chapter 13. Some have
also noticed a similarity in stanza 8 to Psalm 68:13.
Christopher Wordsworth was an Anglican
Bishop, and a nephew of the famous poet William Wordsworth.
1. Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,
Taught by Thee, we covet most[ii]
Of Thy gifts at Pentecost,
Holy, heavenly Love.
2. Faith, that mountains could removed,
Tongues of earth or Heaven above,
Knowledge—all things—empty prove,
Without heavenly Love.
3. Though I as a Martyr bleed,
Give my goods the poor to feed,
All is vain—if Love I need;
Therefore, Give me Love.
4. Love is kind, and suffers long,
Love is meek, and thinks no wrong,
Love than death itself more strong;
Therefore, Give us love.
5. Prophecy will fade away,
Melting in the light of day;
Love will ever with us stay;
Therefore, Give us love.
6. Faith will vanish into sight;
Hope be emptied in delight;
Love in Heaven will shine more bright;
Therefore, Give us love.
7. Faith and Hope and Love we see
Joining hand in hand agree;
But the greatest of the three,
And the best, is Love.
8. From the overshadowing
Of Thy gold and silver wing
Shed on us, who to Thee sing,
Holy, heavenly Love.
Tunes (in 7.7.7.5. meter) paired with this
hymn include Charity by English composer John Stanier (1840-1901), and Capetown by German composer Friedrich
Filitz (1804-1876).
Taught by Thee, we covet most[ii]
Of Thy gifts at Pentecost,
Holy, heavenly Love.
Tongues of earth or Heaven above,
Knowledge—all things—empty prove,
Without heavenly Love.
Give my goods the poor to feed,
All is vain—if Love I need;
Therefore, Give me Love.
Love is meek, and thinks no wrong,
Love than death itself more strong;
Therefore, Give us love.
Melting in the light of day;
Love will ever with us stay;
Therefore, Give us love.
Hope be emptied in delight;
Love in Heaven will shine more bright;
Therefore, Give us love.
Joining hand in hand agree;
But the greatest of the three,
And the best, is Love.
Of Thy gold and silver wing
Shed on us, who to Thee sing,
Holy, heavenly Love.
[i] In some (perhaps many or most) liturgical churches, “Quinquagesima” is the last Sunday of Shrovetide, the Sunday before the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday.
[ii] Note: Wordsworth included a footnote with his second line, first stanza: “Covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”—I Cor. xii. 31.
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