The Cyber Hymnal ‎#7079

7079. Vital Spark of Heavenly Flame

1. Vital spark of heavenly flame,
Quit, O quit this mortal frame!
Trembling, hoping, lingering flying,
O the pain, the bliss of dying!
Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
And let me languish into life.

2. Hark! they whisper; angels say,
Sister spirit, come away!
What is this absorbs me quite—
Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
Drowns my spirit, draws my breath?
Tell me, my soul, can this be death?

3. The world recedes—it disappears;
Heav’n opens on my eyes; my ears
With sounds seraphic ring!
Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!
O grave! where is thy victory!
O death! where is thy sting?

Text Information

• First Line: Vital spark of heavenly flame
• Title: Vital Spark of Heavenly Flame
• Author: Alexander Pope (1712)
• Language: English
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: The words are based on the death bed ut­ter­ance at­trib­ut­ed to Ro­man emp­er­or Ha­dr­ian: "An­i­mu­la va­gu­la, blan­du­la, hos­pes com­esque cor­por­is."

Tune Information

• Name: PILOT
• Composer: John Edgar Gould
• Incipit: 32172 16543 32171
• Key: B♭ Major
• Copyright: Public Domain