Love Divine

I've been listening to my ipod in bed at night. It's kinda nice that way, in the dark and all, just thinking about the music. I heard this the other night-- the words meant something totally different to me than they did back when I performed it with BYU Singers. Isn't it cool when songs change for us like that? I think the syntax is so beautiful! Wish some of our hymns were so eloquent :) That last verse is pretty great. Here are the words and a snippet of the recording:

"Love Divine, All Love Excelling"by Charles Wesley, 1707-1791

1. Love Divine, all love 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.

2. Breathe, oh, breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast;
Let us all in Thee inherit,
Let us find that second rest.
Take away the desire for  sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

3. Come, Almighty, to deliver;
Let us all Thy life 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.

4. Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure 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.  http://singers.byu.edu/audio/Peace/3Divine.mp3 Hymn #351
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 106:4
Author: Charles Wesley, 1747
Tune: "O du Liebe"
1st Published in: Musikalischer Christenschatz
Town: Basel, 1745