Religion

Come, let us sound with melody, the praises

by Thomas Campion 1567–1620

From A Book of Airs (1601)

Religion

Come, let us sound with melody, the praises
Of the King's King, th' omnipotent Creator,
Author of number, that hath all the world in
Harmony framed.

Heav'n is His throne perpetually shining,
His divine power and glory, thence He thunders,
One in All, and All still in One abiding,
Both Father and Son.

O sacred Sprite, invisible, eternal,
Ev'rywhere, yet unlimited, that all things
Can'st in one moment penetrate, revive me,
O Holy Spirit!

Rescue, O rescue me from earthly darkness!
Banish hence all these elemental objects!
Guide my soul that thirsts to the lively fountain
Of thy divineness!

Cleanse my soul, O God! thy bespotted image,
Altered with sin so that heavenly pureness
Cannot acknowledge me, but in thy mercies,
O Father of grace!

But when once Thy beams do remove my darkness;
O then I'll shine forth as an angel of light,
And record, with more than an earthly voice, Thy
Infinite honours.

✦ ✦ ✦

A Book of Airs (1601)

MLA

Campion, Thomas. “Come, let us sound with melody, the praises.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/campion/25/.

Chicago

Campion, Thomas. “Come, let us sound with melody, the praises.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/campion/25/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Thomas Campion