BREATHE ON ME

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 1886

Origins

  • Text: Written by Edwin Hatch (1835–1889), an Anglican priest and theologian

  • Date: First published in 1878

  • Source: Hatch wrote it as part of a small devotional collection called Between Doubt and Prayer

Hatch was more widely known in his lifetime as a scholar than as a hymn writer, which makes it a bit ironic that this simple hymn became his most enduring legacy.

Inspiration & Theme

The hymn is based on John 20:22, where the risen Christ breathes on the disciples and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Rather than focusing on dramatic religious imagery, Hatch emphasized:

  • Quiet spiritual renewal

  • Inner transformation

  • Daily obedience and holiness

This gentle, prayer-like tone was somewhat unusual at the time, when many hymns leaned toward triumph or doctrine-heavy language.

Music

  • The hymn is most commonly sung to the tune “Carlisle,” composed by John Bacchus Dykes (1823–1876).

  • Dykes’s melody, published shortly before his death, matched Hatch’s text so well that the pairing became standard.

Use in Worship

  • Frequently sung at Pentecost

  • Also used in ordination services, confirmation, and times of personal reflection

  • Loved for its meditative, almost whispered quality rather than congregational grandeur

Lasting Impact

“Breathe on Me, Breath of God” endures because it speaks to a universal longing: not for instant transformation, but for slow, sustaining spiritual change—breath by breath

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