On Babel's plain, the fires of men
In common purpose roared
The unity that God once gave
They seized with one accord
But God poured out peculiar tongues
Peculiar, odd, and vain
They scattered all the human fires
That burned on Babel's plain
The desert pealed with flames divine
"I hear my people's cry!"
But Moses turned his face to hide
From unconsuming fire
"O Lord and God," the shepherd pled
"My tongue is mute and mired."
"O who inspires mortal mouths?"
The holy flame inquired
Holy Spirit, Come O Sacred Fire
Holy Spirit, Come our hearts inspire
On Sinai's crest, the storms of God
In gales of holy dread
Beset the mount in veils of fire
With smoke it palled and spread
Then God gave Moses words of life
In thund'rous peals construed
And Isr'el spoke in stark reply
"What God says we will do."
Holy Spirit, Come O Sacred Fire
Holy Spirit, Come our hearts inspire
In Galilee, the holy cloud
That brandished Sinai's crest
Bestowed itself on Mary's frame
And settled there to rest
Then holy fires of power divine
Beheld her virgin womb
They tabernacled in her flesh
But left her unconsumed
Holy Spirit, Come O Sacred Fire
Holy Spirit, Come our hearts inspire
At Pentecost, the winds of God
In savage tempest roared
Like Sinai's mount, their flesh assumed
The fires of their Lord
Then God poured out peculiar tongues
From native lands abroad
And birthed the Church as holy flesh
In unity with God
Holy Spirit, Come O Sacred Fire
Holy Spirit, Come our hearts inspire
Holy Spirit, Come O Sacred Fire
Holy Spirit, Come our hearts inspire
(Our hearts inspire...)
(Come O sacred fire)
(Come our hearts inspire)
(Come O sacred fire)
(Come our hearts inspire)