James Montgomery

For the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Power from on high, O God, impart,

Power in thy gospel to believe;

Power to surrender our whole heart,

Power all thy mercy to receive.

The Word to us in vain were given,

We hear, we read, we learn in vain;

In vain thy Son came down from heaven,

If thou "the Spirit's might" restrain.

Here be His sacred influence felt,

With searching, cleansing, quickening force,

Till souls of millstone-hardness melt,

And flow like waters from their source.

Convinced and humbled in the dust

Beneath the burden of our guilt,

We own Thy law's dread sentence just,

But plead the blood of pardon spilt.

Thy Spirit witness with that blood,

And Christ our Saviour glorify;

While we, as children born of God,

With rapture, "Abba! Father!" cry.