I Dwell a Captive in This Heart

It fascinates me that the original (Italian) words to I Dwell a Captive in This Heart were written by St. Alphonsus Liguori (+1787). The hymnals it appears in are all out of print, but when I saw that the author of The Glories of Mary and Visits to the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Mary had written a hymn, I just HAD to learn it!

Maybe one reason this hymn hasn’t maintained popularity in a liturgical setting is because most of the melodies I found for it were very sentimental.

(What’s wrong with that? I think because a sentimental hymn lacks a “timeless” quality; in other words, it might remind us of popular music from the time it was written. And for music during Mass, the style of hymn shouldn’t remind us of anything but worshipping God.)

There’s nothing wrong with sentimental devotional hymns outside of Mass, by the way! Some of my most favorite hymns were learned at Morning Star Camp, where we sung hymns around the camp fire and after night prayers.

There were two melodies I found that have a more traditional, enduring sound. Pick for yourself the one you like best!

Sheet Music and Audio

Melody #1

The original score from the Parish Hymnal (1915) is found here on Hymnary.org.

There was nothing in the Parish Hymnal indicating who composed the melody, so for now, it is by “Author Unknown.” Interestingly, though, the Preface states that “no tunes of non-Catholic origin” were “knowingly incorporated.” How many hymnals today can boast the same?

I Dwell a Captive by erin.mcfarland.16

Melody #2

I Dwell a Captive Sheet Music PDF (from St. Pius X Hymnal (1953) and ccwatershed.org)

Lyrics

Translation #1 (from 1863) by Father Edmund Vaughan:

1. I dwell a captive in this Heart,
Inflamed with love divine,
‘Tis here I live alone in peace,
And constant joy is mine.

2. It is the Heart of God’s own Son
In His Humanity
Who all enamored of my soul,
Here burns with love of me.

3. Here like the dove within the Ark
Securely I repose;
Since now the Lord is my defence,
I fear no earthly foes.

4. What though I suffer,
Still in love I ever true will be
My love of God shall deeper grow
When crosses fall on me.

5. From ev’ry bond of earth, O Lord,
Thy grace hath set me free;
My soul delivered from the snare,
Enjoys true liberty.

6. Nought more can I desire than this,
To see Thy face in Heaven;
And this I hope since Thou on earth
Thy Heart in pledge hast giv’n.

Translation #2 (from 1885) by R. Coffin: (Two verses are strung together; the last 3 stanzas are very different from above.)

1. I dwell a captive in this Heart,
On fire with love divine
‘Tis here I live alone in peace,
And constant joy is mine.

It is the Heart of God’s own Son
In His Humanity
Who all enamored of my soul,
Here burns with love of me.

2. Here like the dove within the Ark
Securely I repose;
Since now the Lord is my defence,
I fear no earthly foes.

Now I have found this happy home,
God’s love alone I prize;
All else is torment to my heart,
The world I now despise.

3. What though I suffer, still in love
I ever true will be;
My love of God shall deeper grow
When crosses fall on me.

Then he who longs with me to seek
Repose within this nest,
All love that is not love for God
Must banish from his breast.

(Which one did you like best? Let me know in the comments, or on Google+! My favorite is #2, melody AND translation.)

Interested in More?

This is not the only hymn by St. Alphonsus! See a list here and here. Another hymn on this blog by St. Alphonsus is Glory Be to Jesus.