A few years ago I worked on a short book about the holy spirit for my church and I was struck by something:
There are beautiful prayers and songs about the Spirit from throughout church history.
Too often Christians assume that the church didn’t care about the Holy Spirit until the 21st century or perhaps that the things of the Spirit were “new” in the 21st century. Neither are true.
One of my favorite hymns I discovered was written by Ambrose of Milan as early as the 4th century, translated in German by Martin Luther in the 16th century, and then into English in the 19th century. A beautiful testament to the church’s legacy of rejoicing in the Spirit’s work and power.
So as we celebrate the season of Pentecost, let me pass along some prayers and songs I found throughout church history.
The Person of the Spirit
“Come, O Creator Spirit blest,
And in our souls take up thy rest;
Come, with thy grace, and heavenly aid,
To fill the hearts which thou hast made.
Great Comforter! to thee we cry;
O highest gift of God most high,
O fount of life! O fire of love!
Send sweet anointing from above!”
Rabanus Maurus (9th century), Veni, Creator Spiritus.
English translation by Edward Caswall (1888).
The Spirit’s Work
Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
John Donne, “Holy Sonnet XIV” (circa 1609–1611).
The Spirit’s Illumination
“Thou who art Three in Unity,
True God from all eternity,
The sun is fading from our sight,
Shine Thou on us with heav’nly light.
Let God the Father be adored,
And God the Son, the only Lord,
And equal adoration be,
Eternal Comforter, to Thee.”
Ambrose of Milan (4th century), O Lux Beata Trinitas.
German translation by Martin Luther (16th century);
English translation by Richard Massie (1854).
The Spirit’s Regenerating Work
“I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me;
it was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found of thee.
“Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea;
‘twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
As thou, dear Lord, on me
I find, I walk, I love, but O, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou wert long beforehand with my soul,
always Thou lovedst me.”
Attributed to Jean Ingelow,
“I Sought the Lord” (circa 1878).
The Spirit’s Guidance
“Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
however dark it be;
lead me by thine own hand,
choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be or rough,
it will be still the best;
winding or straight, it leads
right onward to thy rest.”
Horatius Bonar, “Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord” (1863).
The Spirit’s Constant Presence
“The Holy Ghost is here,
Where saints in prayer agree;
As Jesus’ parting gift, is near
Each pleading company.
Not far away is he,
To be by prayer brought nigh,
But here in present majesty
As in his courts on high.”
C.H. Spurgeon, “The Holy Ghost Is Here” (1866).
The Spirit’s Work in Mission
“At the great harvest, when the archangel’s blast
Shall winnow, like a fan, the chaff and grain.
Then shall the good stand in immortal bloom,
In the fair gardens of that second birth;
And each bright blossom mingle its perfume
With that of flowers, which never bloomed on earth.
With thy rude ploughshare, Death, turn up the sod,
And spread the furrow for the seed we sow;
This is the field and Acre of our God,
This is the place where human harvests grow!”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
God’s Acre (circa 1841–1842).
The Spirit’s Sanctifying Work
“Holy Spirit, strong and mighty,
Thou Who makest all things new,
Make Thy work within me perfect
Help me by Thy Word so true;
Arm me with that sword of Thine,
And the victory shall be mine.”
Heinrich Held, Komm, O komm, du Geist des Lebens (1658).
Translated by Charles William Schaeffer (1866).
The Spirit’s Empowering Work
“Bringing from heav’n our sev’n-fold dow’r,
Sign of our God’s right hand of pow’r,
O blessed Spirit, promised long,
Thy coming wakes the heart to song.”
“Make our dull minds with rapture glow,
Let human hearts with love o’erflow;
And, when our feeble flesh would fail,
May thine immortal strength prevail.”
Rabanus Maurus (9th century), Veni, Creator Spiritus.
English translation from Trinity Hymnal 251 (1961).
The Spirit’s Purifying Work
“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.
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, “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart,” (1854).
The Spirit’s Unity With the Father and Son
“Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.”
Reginald Heber, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty (1826).
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About the Author
Ricky Alcantar is the Editorial Director for Digital in Sovereign Grace. He has served Cross of Grace Church in El Paso, TX as its lead pastor since 2010.