HOLY SPIRIT
SDAH 260
Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit,
Bathe my trembling heart and brow;
Fill me with Thy hallowed presence,
Come, O come and fill me now.
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For Worship Leaders
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Hymn Spotlight: Hover O’er Me, Holy Spirit
Elwood H. Stokes, a founder of the Ocean Grove religious community, wrote this prayerful hymn in the 19th century. It pictures the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, echoing Jesus’ baptism. John R. Sweney’s tune, SWENEY, carries the lyrics with gentle earnestness. Sing this hymn as a quiet plea for divine presence and power in your life.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
The lesson says, “Spirit-filled Christian have access even to the mind of God and thus to any amount of learning and understanding that would be needed to know the path of righteousness”/ What a loving God we have, providing us with the Holy Spirit. (Lesson 8, 4th quarter 2020 – Thursday, Education in Early Church, 11/19/2020)
Jesus invites us to fast and pray. It is not merely doing it through action but by the spirit. In order to do this, we need to ask and plead for the Holy Spirit to dwell and fill us with His presence. (Lesson 11, 1st Quarter 2021 – Tuesday, Fast Fight, 3/9/2021)
Elwood Haines Stokes (1815-1895) was one of the founders of the Ocean Grove, New Jersey, religious community, and president of the Ocean Grove Campmeeting Association. In this hymn he derives the picture of the hovering Spirit from the dovelike appearance of the Spirit at our Lord’s baptism: “the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lightning upon him” (Matt. 3:16).
SWENEY commemorates the composer John Robson Sweney (1837-1899; see Biographies).
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Stanza:
1 – Matthew 3:16
Romans 15:13
4 – John 14:16
R – Romans 8:9
Text
1
Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit,
Bathe my trembling heart and brow;
Fill me with Thy hallowed presence,
Come, O come and fill me now.
Refrain
Fill me now, fill me now,
Jesus, come and fill me now.
Fill me with Thy hallowed presence,
Come, O come and fill me now.
2
Thou canst fill me, gracious Spirit,
Though I cannot tell Thee how;
But I need Thee, greatly need Thee;
Come, O come and fill me now.
3
I am weakness, full of weakness;
At Thy sacred feet I bow;
Blest, divine, eternal Spirit,
Fill with love, and fill me now.
4
Cleanse and comfort, bless and save me;
Bathe, O, bathe my heart and brow;
Thou art comforting and saving,
Thou art sweetly filling now.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(a) Matt 3:16; Rom 15:13 (d) John 14:16 (r) Rom 8:9
Author
Elwood H. Stokes (1815-1895)
Year Published
1879
Hymn Tune
SWENEY
Metrical Number
8.7.8.7.Ref.
Composer
John R. Sweney (1837-1899)
