Love Divine

Love Divine

Text written in 1747 by Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Sung to Blaenwern, composed by William Penfro Rowlands (1860–1937)

Psalm 106:4 Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people,

come to my aid when you save them.

Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

V. 1 Love divine, all loves excelling,

Joy of heaven, to earth come down;

Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,

All Thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,

Pure, unbounded love Thou art;

Visit us with Thy salvation,

Enter every trembling heart.

John 20:22 And with that he breathed on them and said, 

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 4:9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.

Hebrews 12:2 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Revelation 22:13  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

V. 2 Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit

Into every troubled breast!

Let us all in Thee inherit,

Let us find the promised rest;

Take away our bent to sinning;

Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith, as its beginning,

Set our hearts at liberty.

Malachi 3:1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

Revelation 4:8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Revelation 5:11, 12 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

V. 3 Come, Almighty to deliver,

Let us all Thy grace receive;

Suddenly return, and never, 

Nevermore Thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing,

Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,

Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,

Glory in Thy perfect love.

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Ephesians 5:27 ...and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 

Revelation 4:10 ...the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne....

V. 4 Finish, then, Thy new creation;

Purse and spotless let us be;

Let us see Thy great salvation

Perfectly restored in Thee:

Changed from glory into glory,

Till in heaven we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before Thee,

Lost in wonder, love, and praise.