Awake O Spirit Who Inspired
Awake, O Spirit, who inspired
The hymn emphasizes the Spirit's dual role in inspiring biblical writers and continuing to guide the Church's proclamation of God's Word. It reflects Lutheran pneumatology by connecting the historical work of the Spirit in Scripture to its ongoing vitality in Christian witness.
History & Background
Written by Henry H. Tweedy in 1928, this hymn celebrates the Holy Spirit's role in inspiring Scripture and the Church's witness. It was first published in the Methodist hymnal but gained wider Lutheran acceptance through inclusion in the LBW.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 841
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 382
- Lutheran Worship — 315
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 494
Bulletin Note
Written in 1928 by hymnologist Henry H. Tweedy, this hymn connects the Spirit's inspiration of Scripture to the ongoing vitality of Christian proclamation, embodying Lutheran pneumatology and trust in the Spirit's continuing work.
Preaching Connection
This hymn develops the Lutheran conviction that the Spirit's historical work in Scripture is inseparable from the Spirit's present work in the Church, countering our anxiety about proclamation by anchoring Christian witness not in our eloquence but in the Spirit's empowerment.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From contemplation of Christ's humble birth in obscurity to personal invitation for Christ's transformative indwelling; movement from historical event to soteriological application
Themes
Holy Spirit Biblical inspiration Prayer for guidance Word of God