Come Oh Come Life Giving Spirit
Come, Oh come, Life-giving Spirit
The hymn embodies Lutheran emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification and the Christian life, reflecting the Third Article of the Nicene Creed. It expresses the transformative power of the Spirit in creating faith, renewing the soul, and empowering Christian discipleship.
History & Background
Henry Harbaugh wrote this hymn in 1860 as an invocation of the Holy Spirit for spiritual renewal and transformation. It became widely used in German Reformed and Lutheran hymnals throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 407
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 478
- Lutheran Worship — 165
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 226
Bulletin Note
Written by Pennsylvania pastor Henry Harbaugh in 1860, this hymn reflects deep Lutheran theology of sanctification, pairing the Spirit's searching work with the Gospel's regenerating power through Word and Sacrament.
Preaching Connection
This hymn amplifies the Third Article by showing how the Spirit's work of conviction and grace operates inseparably: He exposes our sin while simultaneously pouring out the mercy that transforms us into witnesses of Christ's love.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Definition & Command of Baptism Small Catechism — Holy Baptism
- Nicene Creed Three Ecumenical Creeds
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: from the demand of belief and baptism, through Christ's redemptive work and Spirit-empowered perseverance, to doxological assurance of eternal inheritance
Themes
Holy Spirit invocation Sanctification and transformation Spiritual renewal Divine presence Pentecost grace