A hymn for your congregation to learn and sing in worship, and for your family to learn and sing in the home.
Lyric video recording
Live recording
Lyrics
Holy Spirit, living Breath of God, breathe new life into my willing soul;
Bring the presence of the risen Lord to renew my heart and make me whole.
Cause Your word to come alive in me; give me faith for what I cannot see.
Give me passion for Your purity; Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.
Holy Spirit, come abide within; may Your joy be seen in all I do.
Love enough to cover ev'ry sin in each thought and deed and attitude.
Kindness to the greatest and the least; gentleness that goes the path of peace.
Turn my strivings into works of grace; Breath of God, show Christ in all I do.
Holy Spirit, from creation's birth, giving life to all that God has made.
Show Your power once again on earth, cause Your church to hunger for Your ways.
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise; lead us on the road of sacrifice,
That in unity the face of Christ will be clear for all the world to see.
Sheet Music / Arrangements
Choral: https://www.jwpepper.com/holy-spirit-living-breath-of-god-10554521-361184/p(SATB, SAB, 2-part, with optional cello / Lloyd Larson)
Choral: https://www.jwpepper.com/holy-spirit-living-breath-of-god-10420775-235456/p (SATB, with optional full orchestra / Mary McDonald)
Piano: https://www.jwpepper.com/the-lord-is-my-salvation-11377534-15070/p (Moderately difficult, included within a collection of arrangements / Molly Ijames)
Bible Memory Verse
"The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4)
Reminding us of the depth and breadth of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives...
Critics of modern worship songs often point out how little Trinitarian content there is in today's writing. And there's some truth in that. A surprisingly large number of songs address God rather ambiguously as "Lord," whether they are talking about His creation of the world, His death on the cross, or His indwelling in their hearts!
Others do refer to "Jesus" or "Father," and as such do more justice to the beautiful breadth of the personhood of God. But when it comes to the Holy Spirit in our songs, our understanding of the third Person of the Trinity seems to be worryingly narrow. We sing about Him as if His sole purpose is to liven up our services by turning up when we ask Him to, and to give us warm feelings and the occasional spiritual gift...!
This song seeks to point to the central vitality of the Spirit in every area of our lives: applying the word of God to our lives; bearing His multi-faceted fruit in us and thus shaping us into the likeness of Christ; inspiring passion, repentance, unity, intercession, and sacrifice.
For the story behind the hymn, see the video here from Keith Getty