"Veni, Sancte Spiritus, gebessert durch D. MARTIN LUTHER." The last two stanzas added by Luther's hand.
The original Latin Melody. Harmony after ERYTHRAEUS, 1609.
1. Come, Holy Spirit, Lord our God,
And pour thy gifts of grace abroad;
Thy faithful people fill with blessing,
Love's fire their hearts possessing.
O Lord, thou by thy heavenly light
Dost gather and in faith unite
Through all the world a holy nation
To sing to thee with exultation,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
2. O holiest Light! O Rock adored!
Give us thy light, thy living word,
To God himself our spirits leading,
With him as children pleading.
From error, Lord, our souls defend,
That they on Christ alone attend;
In him with faith unfeigned abiding,
In him with all their might confiding.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
3. O holiest Fire! O Source of rest!
Grant that with joy and hope possest,
And in thy service kept forever,
Naught us from thee may sever.
Lord, may thy power prepare each heart;
To our weak nature strength impart,
Onward to press, our foes defying,
To thee, through living and through dying.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
1. Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott,
Erfuell' mit deiner Gnaden Gut
Deiner Glaeubigen Herz, Muth und Sinn;
Dein bruenst'ge Lieb' entzuend' in ihn'n.
O Herr, durch deines Lichtes Glast
Zu dem Glauben versammelt hast
Das Volk aus aller Welt Zungen,
Das sei dir, Herr, zu Lob gesungen,
Halleluja! Halleluja!
2. Du heiliges Licht, edler Hort,
Lass uns leuchten des Lebens Wort,
Und lehr' uns Gott recht erkennen,
Von Herzen Vater ihn nennen.
O Herr, behuet' vor fremder Lehr,
Dass wir nicht Meister suchen mehr
Denn Jesum mit rechtem Glauben,
Und ihm aus ganzer Macht vertrauen.
Halleluja! Halleluja!
3. Du heilige Brunst, suesser Trost,
Nun hilf uns froehlich und getrost
In deinem Dienst bestaendig bleiben,
Die Truebsal uns nicht abtreiben.
O Herr, durch dein' Kraft uns bereit'
Und staerk des Fleisches Bloedigkeit,
Dass wir hier ritterlich ringen,
Durch Tod und Leben zu dir dringen.
Halleluja! Halleluja!
Note.-The first stanza is found in a service-book of the church of Basel, of the year 1514. The irregularities of the German versification may be explained in part by the two-fold authorship, in this and other hymns.
