You help make Hymnary.org possible.

In 2025, more than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources, and encouragement here. If Hymnary has meant something to you this year, would you take a moment to help sustain it? A gift of any size — and a note of encouragement, if you'd like to share one — directly supports the server costs, research, and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org (c/o Calvin University)
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for being part of this important online ministry resource.

Seeking to God For the Communication of His Spirit

Hear, gracious Sovereign, from thy throne

Author: Philip Doddridge
Published in 39 hymnals


Representative Text

1 Hear, gracious sov'reign, from thy throne,
And send thy various blessings down:
While by thine Israel thou art sought,
Oh hear the pray'r thy word hath taught.

2 Come, sacred spirit, from above,
And fill the coldest heart with love;
soften to flesh the rugged stone,
And let thy godlike power be known.

3 Speak thou, and from the haughtiest eyes
shall floods of pious sorrow rise;
While all their glowing souls are borne
To seek that grace, which now they scorn.

4 O let a holy flock await
Num'rous around thy temple-gate,
Each pressing on with zeal to be
A living sacrifice to thee.

5 In answer to our fervent cries,
Give us to see thy church arise;
Or, if that blessing seem too great,
Give us to mourn its low estate.


Source: The Hartford Selection of Hymns: from the most approved authors: to which are added a number never before published (2nd ed.) #CIV

Author: Philip Doddridge

Philip Doddridge (b. London, England, 1702; d. Lisbon, Portugal, 1751) belonged to the Non-conformist Church (not associated with the Church of England). Its members were frequently the focus of discrimination. Offered an education by a rich patron to prepare him for ordination in the Church of England, Doddridge chose instead to remain in the Non-conformist Church. For twenty years he pastored a poor parish in Northampton, where he opened an academy for training Non-conformist ministers and taught most of the subjects himself. Doddridge suffered from tuberculosis, and when Lady Huntington, one of his patrons, offered to finance a trip to Lisbon for his health, he is reputed to have said, "I can as well go to heaven from Lisbon as from Nort… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Hear, gracious Sovereign, from thy throne
Title: Seeking to God For the Communication of His Spirit
Author: Philip Doddridge
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances in all hymnals

Instances (1 - 39 of 39)

A Baptist Hymn Book, Designed Especially for the Regular Baptist Church and All Lovers of Truth #d279

A Collection of Hymns from Various Authors. New ed. #d139

A Collection of Hymns, Original and Select, for the Use of Small Assemblies and Private Christians #d37

A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #d117

Page Scan

A New Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #150

A Selection of Christian Hymns #254

Page Scan

A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. #210

TextPage Scan

A Selection of Hymns #CCX

Page Scan

Baptist Hymn Book #a264

Page Scan

Dupuy's Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Rev. corr. and enl.) #XXXVIII

Hymns for Social Worship and Private Devotion #d54

Page Scan

Hymns of the "Jubilee Harp" #a40

Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Songs, including Some Never Before in Print #d125

Page Scan

Social Hymns, and Spiritual Songs #211

Songs of the Spirit #d176

Supplement to Watts #d177

Page Scan

The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book for Public Worship #819

Page Scan

The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book, for Public Worship #283.819

Page Scan

The Baptist Hymn Book #819

Page Scan

The Baptist Hymn Book #264

Page Scan

The Canadian Baptist Hymn Book #549

The Christian Lyre #d133

Page Scan

The Christian Melodist #195

The Halifax Selection of Hymns #d182

Page Scan

The Harp #539

Page Scan

The Harp. 2nd ed. #a539

TextPage Scan

The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the Most Approved Authors #CIV

TextPage Scan

The Hartford Selection of Hymns #CIV

Page Scan

The Jubilee Harp #40

The National Baptist Hymn Book #d202

The National Baptist Hymn Book #ad202

Page Scan

The National Baptist Hymnal #529

Page Scan

The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #928

Page Scan

The Sacred Lyre #124

Page Scan

The Springfield Collection of Hymns for Sacred Worship #239

The Village Hymn book #d97

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.