Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

LSB #500 "Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16, John 16:13, Genesis 1:2

Romans 8:9:  "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.  Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."

1 Corinthians 3:16:  "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"

John 16:13:  "'When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.'"

Genesis 1:2:  "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

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The text is public domain:
Creator Spirit, by whose aid
The world's foundations first were laid,
Come, visit ev'ry humble mind;
Come, pour Your joys on humankind;
From sin and sorrow set us free;
May we Your living temples be.
O Source of uncreated light,
The bearer of God's gracious might,
Thrice-holy fount, thrice-holy fire,
Our hearts with heav'nly love inspire;
Your sacred, healing message bring
To sanctify us as we sing.
Giver of grace, descend from high;
Your sev'nfold gifts to us supply;
Help us eternal truths receive
And practice all that we believe;
Give us Yourself that we may see
The glory of the Trinity.
Immortal honor, endless fame
Attend the almighty Father's name;
The Savior-Son be glorified,
Who for all humankind has died;
To You, O Paraclete, we raise
Unending songs of thanks and praise.
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Genesis 1:2 appears in the first two lines of the first verse, although the hymn picks up the creation account slightly after what's quoted.  Both Romans 8:9 and 1 Corinthians 3:16 appear at the end of the first verse:  "May we Your living temples be."

John 16:13 appears in the line "Help us eternal truths receive" in the third verse.

The description "thrice-holy" in the second verse seems to be a reference to the seraphim in Isaiah 6:3:  "And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'"