Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me

Representative Text

1 Gracious Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would gracious be;
and with words that help and heal
would thy life in mine reveal;
and with actions bold and meek
would for Christ my Savior speak.

2 Truthful Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would truthful be;
and with wisdom kind and clear
let thy life in mine appear;
and with actions brotherly
speak my Lord’s sincerity.

3 Mighty Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would mighty be;
mighty so as to prevail
where unaided man must fail;
ever by a mighty hope
pressing on and bearing up.

4 Holy Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would holy be;
separate from sin, I would
choose and cherish all things good,
and whatever I can be,
give to him who gave me thee!

Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #400

Author: Thomas T. Lynch

Lynch, Thomas Toke, was born at Dunmow, Essex, July 5, 1818, and educated at a school at Islington, in which he was afterwards an usher. For a few months he was a student at the Highbury Independent College; but withdrew, partly on account of failing health, and partly because his spirit was too free to submit to the routine of College life. From 1847 to 1849 he was Minister of a small charge at Highgate, and from 1849 to 1852 of a congregation in Mortimer Street, which subsequently migrated to Grafton Street, Fitzroy Square. From 1856 to 1859 he was laid aside by illness. In 1860 he resumed his ministry with his old congregation, in a room in Gower Street, where he remained until the opening of his new place of worship, in 1862, (Morningto… Go to person page >

Notes

A century ago, Christians took their hymns very seriously. So seriously that the publication of Thomas Toke Lynch's (1818-1871) little hymnbook, The Rivulet 1855 ("for Christian poetry is indeed a river of life, and to this river my rivulet brings its contribution"), almost split the Congregational Church. The "Rivulet Controversy," as it was called, centered around Lynch's frequent references to nature in his hymn texts, but the controversy was probably exacerbated by his fresh poetic style. The great hymnologist, John Julian, says, "Lynch's hymns are marked by intense individuality, gracefulness and felicity of diction, picturesqueness, spiritual freshness, and the sadness of a powerful soul struggling with a weak and emaciated body." Though the booklet was meant simply as an in-church supplement to Isaac Watt's popular hymnbook, the controversy spilled beyond his own church's walls and provoked the likes of Spurgeon to condemn him for promoting bad theology.

While "Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me" does not contain examples of his controversial nature imagery, it has been accused of promoting the "human spirit" rather than the Holy Spirit. In light of the third verse's prayer for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the hymn's overall concentration on the fruits of the Spirit, these criticisms are unfounded. Lynch's life also bears the mark of the Spirit; in the middle of these turbulent times he said, "The air will be all the clearer for this storm. We must conquer our foes by suffering them to crucify us rather than by threatening them with crucifixion." Although this trial did nothing to shake his faith, his health suffered significantly, and it is thought that it contributed to his early death.

The tune, REDHEAD 76, is given its name because it was the 76th tune in Richard Redhead's (1820-1901) Church Hymn Tunes. Redhead was trained as a chorister at Magdalene College, Oxford, and though he was a reputable organist, he is chiefly remembered as one of the key figures in the Oxford "Gregorian Revival." REDHEAD 76 is probably best known as the tune to "Go to Dark Gethsemane," and is therefore often referred to as "GETHSEMANE;" but has also been called "PETRA" (rock) for its association with the text "Rock of Ages." --Greg Scheer, 1997
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Gracious Spirit, dwell with me. T. T. Lynch. [Whitsuntide.] First published in his work, The Rivulet, a Contribution to Sacred Song, 1855, p. 79, in 6 stanzas of 6 lines. It was brought into congregational use through the Baptist Psalms & Hymns, 1858. From that date it has steadily increased in popularity in Great Britain and America, and is given in full or in part in numerous hymn-books, especially those in use by Nonconformists.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

REDHEAD NO. 76

REDHEAD 76 is named for its composer, who published it as number 76 in his influential Church Hymn Tunes, Ancient and Modern (1853) as a setting for the hymn text "Rock of Ages." It has been associated with Psalm 51 since the 1912 Psalter, where the tune was named AJALON. The tune is also known as P…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 194)

A Church of England Hymn Book #271

A Hymnal for Friends #48

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A Selection of Spiritual Songs #200

American Church and Church School Hymnal #d108

American Church and Church School Hymnal #d108

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American Junior Church School Hymnal #141

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Augsburg Songs No. 2 #164

Augsburg Songs, Nos. l and 2 Combined #d92

Carmina for Social Worship #d83

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Carmina for the Sunday School and Social Worship #98

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Carmina Sanctorum, a selection of hymns and songs of praise with tunes #282

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Carmina Sanctorum #282

Text

Celebrating Grace Hymnal #236

Text

Chalice Hymnal #266

Chapel Conference Songbook #d26

Christian Hymnal #d145

Christian Hymnways #d52

Christian Praise #d114

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Christian Science Hymnal #a145

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Christian Science Hymnal #aa145

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Christian Science Hymnal #145

Christian Science Hymnal (Rev. and enl.) #88

Christian Science Hymnal (Rev. and enl.) #89

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Christian Science Hymnal #145a

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Christian Science Hymnal #145b

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Christian Science Hymnal #145c

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Christian Science Hymnal #145

Christian Worship and Praise #259

Christian Worship #270

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Church Harmonies #218

Everybody's Hymn Book for Church and Home #d96

Exalt His Name #138

Gems from Augsburg Songs for Sunday Schools and other Services #d42

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Gloria Deo #278

Gloria in Excelsis #d213

Gloria in Excelsis #d129

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Gloria #95

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #297

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Hosanna for the Sunday School #159

Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home and Services for Congregational Worship. Rev. ed. #d222

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Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home. (Rev. ed.) #279

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Hymnal for American Youth #70

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Hymnal for Christian Science Church and Sunday School Services #98

Hymnal of the Church of God #150

Hymnal, Church of the Brethren #d124

Hymnal #507

Hymnbook for Christian Worship #194

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Hymni Ecclesiae #118

Hymns and Psalms #286

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Hymns and Songs of Praise for Public and Social Worship #373

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Hymns and Tunes for Schools #144

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Hymns for a Pilgrim People #234

Hymns for Creative Living #71

Hymns for Him. 1st ed. #d15

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Hymns for the Church on Earth #305

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Hymns for the Living Age #179

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Hymns for the Living Church #193

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Hymns for the Sanctuary and Social Worship #692

Audio

Hymns for Today #61

Hymns of Devotion #d55

Hymns of Faith and Life #198

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Hymns of Pentecost #9

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Hymns of the Ages (3rd series) #100

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Hymns of the Centuries (Chapel Edition) #94

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Hymns of the Centuries #95

Hymns of the Christian Life #d127

Hymns of the Christian Life #d126

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Hymns of the Christian Life #93

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Hymns of the Christian Life #15

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Hymns of the Church Universal #148a

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Hymns of the Church Universal #148b

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Hymns of the Higher Life #28

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Hymns of the Kingdom of God #112

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Hymns of the Kingdom of God #112

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Hymns of the Kingdom of God #130

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Hymns of the Living Church #96

Hymns of the Saints #284

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Hymns of the United Church #73

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Hymns of the United Church #73

Inter-Church Hymnal #d123

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Jehovah's Praise #95

Jubilate Deo #136

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Laudes Domini #520

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Laudes Domini #217

Love and Praise #d46

Mennonite Brethren Church Hymnal #140

Mennonite Hymn Book #d112

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Methodist Hymn and Tune Book #161

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Missionary Hymnal #17

My Camp Book #d11

New Worship and Song #76

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Notes of Victory for Sunday Schools #98

Pilgrim Hymnal #245

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Plymouth Sunday-School Hymnal #148

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #195

Prayers and Hymns for the Church and the Home #d210

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Redemption Songs #546

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Sing Joyfully #149

Sing to the Lord #d77

Pages

Exclude 177 pre-1979 instances
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