Hymn of the Week: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
Author: George Croly (1780-1860)
Composer: Frederick Atkinson (1841-1897)
Some scholars of hymnology believe that “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” may be the best hymn for the Pentecost season ever written. George Croly was an Irish-born Anglican pastor, who started his ministry serving as curate in a small rural Irish parish. Becoming unhappy with rural life, he moved to London by 1810 and devoted himself to a literary career. He became relatively well known but was not liked by the Anglican hierarchy due to his extremely conservative viewpoints and outspoken nature. He was finally offered the position of rector for St Stephen Walbrook, a failing church in the slums of London, presenting the huge challenge of building a congregation in an area of London that was socially outcast and economically disadvantaged. Despite the difficulty, Croly was very successful, building a large congregation with an enthusiastic following. About Croly’s success, his son Frederick wrote, “The church of St Stephen’s, previously almost deserted, soon became filled, under the influence of his powerful attraction, with a large and attentive congregation, most of whom came from a considerable distance.” His preaching was usually extemporaneous, forceful and Bible-based. His congregation was huge, but he had critics. The Victorian art journal editor Samuel Carter Hall described his preaching as “having a sort of rude and indeed angry eloquence that would have stood him in better stead at the bar than in the pulpit.”
Rev. Croly wrote “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” in 1851 as a words-only six verse faith-poem with the title “Supplication.” It was then published as a 5-verse hymn called “Holiness Desired” in a new hymnal Croly compiled for his congregation in 1854. It was first published with the current title and tune after Atkinson, an English organist, wrote the music in 1887, intending it initially for a different hymn.
Scripture inspiring this hymn:
Galatians 5:25 Rev Croly included this verse as a subtitle with his original Faith Poem:
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Allusions to the following passages, and others, are found within the scripture-rich hymn:
Acts 17:26-27
26 From one ancestor he made all peoples to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.
Jeremiah 29:13
13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.
Matthew 7:7
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
Mark 12:30
30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
Galatians 5: 22b-23a
22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
John 1:32
32 John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him.
Lyrics for the 5-verse hymn follow. Our hymnal omits verse 2, although it is included in the newest Presbyterian hymnal Glory to God published in 2013. That verse is included here because it is spiritually poetic and message-consistent with the other verses. Please read (and sing) this faith-poem as a sincere prayer: admitting weakness and earthly focus, declaring humility before God, seeking God and receiving the Holy Spirit, naming that life has struggles, and reassuring that faith in Jesus Christ is the answer.
Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move.
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art,
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.
I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay,
No angel visitant, no opening skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.
Hast Thou not bid us love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:
Oh, let me seek Thee, and, oh, let me find!
Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The baptism of the heaven-descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame.
