Hymn of the Week 7

We marked Pentecost last Sunday. We sang this excellent hymn by the Canadian writer E Margaret Clarkson (b 1915). See here for more on her.

For your gift of God the Spirit, power to make our lives anew,
pledge of life and hope of glory, Saviour, we would worship you.
Crowning gift of resurrection sent from your ascended throne;
fullness of the very Godhead, come to make your life our own.

He who at creation’s dawning brooded on the lifeless deep,
still across our nature’s shadows moves to wake our souls from sleep;
moves to stir, to draw, to quicken, thrusts us through with sense of sin;
brings to birth and seals and fills us - saving Advocate within.

He, himself, the living author, wakes to life the sacred Word;
reads with us its holy pages and reveals our risen Lord.
He it is who works within us, teaching rebel hearts to pray,
he whose holy intercessions rise for us both night and day.

He, the mighty God, indwells us; his to strengthen, help, empower;
his to overcome the tempter - ours to call in danger’s hour.
In his strength we dare to battle all the raging hosts of sin,
and by him alone we conquer foes without and foes within.

Father, grant your Holy Spirit in our hearts may rule today,
grieved not, quenched not, but unhindered, work in us his sov’reign way.
Fill us with your holy fullness, God the Father, Spirit, Son;
in us, through us, then, forever shall your perfect will be done.