by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
In the hour of my distress
Language: English
In the hour of my distress, When temptations me oppress, And when I my sins confess, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When I lie within my bed, Sick in heart, and sick in head, And with doubts discomforted, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the house doth sigh and weep, And the world is drown'd in sleep, Yet mine eyes the watch do keep, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the artless doctor sees No one hope, but of his fees, And his skill runs on the lees, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When his potion and his pill, Has, or none, or little skill, Meet for nothing but to kill, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the passing-bell doth toll, And the furies in a shoal Come to fright a parting soul, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the tapers now burn blue, And the comforters are few, And that number more than true, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the priest his last hath pray'd, And I nod to what is said, 'Cause my speech is now decay'd, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When, God knows, I'm tost about Either with despair, or doubt; Yet, before the glass be out, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the tempter me pursu'th With the sins of all my youth, And half damns me with untruth, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the flames and hellish cries Fright mine ears, and fright mine eyes, And all terrors me surprise, Sweet Spirit, comfort me! When the Judgment is reveal'd, And that open'd which was seal'd; When to Thee I have appeal'd, Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
G. Dyson sets stanzas 1, 3, 9
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674), "His litany, to the Holy Spirit" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Peter John Hurford (b. 1930), "Litany to the Holy Spirit" [sung text not yet checked]
The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:
- by George Dyson (1883 - 1964), "Night hath no wings", 1945-9, from Quo Vadis: a Cycle of Poems, no. 4
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2011-03-11
Line count: 48
Word count: 263