1 COME holy celestial Dove,
To visit a sorrowful breast,
My burden of guilt to remove,
And bring me assurance and rest!
Thou only hast power to relieve
A sinner o'erwhelmed with his load,
The sense of acceptance to give,
And sprinkle his heart with the blood.
2 With me if of old thou hast strove,
And strangely withheld from my sin,
And tried, by the lure of his love,
My worthless affections to win;
The work of thy mercy revive,
Thy uttermost mercy exert,
And kindly continue to strive,
And hold, till I yield thee my heart.
3 Thy call if I ever have known,
And sighed from myself to get free,
And groaned the unspeakable groan,
And longed to be happy in thee;
Fulfil the imperfect desire,
Thy peace to my conscience reveal,
The sense of thy favour inspire,
And give me my pardon to feel.
4 If when I had put these to grief,
And madly to folly returned,
Thy pity hath been my relief,
And lifted me up as I mourned;
Most pitiful Spirit of grace,
Relieve me again, and restore,
My spirit in holiness raise,
To fall and to suffer no more.
5 If now I lament after God,
And gasp for a drop of thy love,
If Jesus hath bought thee with blood,
For me to receive from above;
Come, heavenly Comforter, come,
True witness of mercy divine,
And make me thy permanent home,
And seal me eternally thine!