St Luke Beloved Physician

The evangelist Luke, writing - picture by Master with the Parrot (between 1520-1550). 1 Saint Luke, beloved physician, with honour now recall, who served his Master's mission, who ministered to Paul; whose skill to distant ages bequeathed a gift unpriced, a gospel in whose pages we see the face of Christ. 2 He tells for us the stories of Jesus here on earth, the unsung pains and glories that marked the church's birth; the Spirit's power in preaching, the contrite sinner freed, the grace and mercy reaching our deepest human need. 3 For all who work our healing we lift our hearts in prayer, the love of God revealing in science, skill and care: his gifts be still imparted to those who make us whole, like Luke the tender-hearted, physician of the soul.

This hymn about St Luke was written by English Anglican bishop and hymn-writer Timothy Dudley-Smith (b 1926); It was first published in 2008.

With meter 7.6.7.6 D, tunes it has been set include

AURELIA composed by Samuel Sebastian Wesley in 1864, and best known as the tune of The Church's one Foundation - the tune it was published with
PENLAN by David Jenkins (1898)
NYLAND - a Finnish folk melody.

Hymn-books which it has been published in include Anglican Hymns Old and New, 2008 edition.

The title and first line are sometimes expressed as St Luke Belov'd Physician, to indicate how to fit the tune to the text.

Examples

Instrumental - light orchestral, tune AURELIA

Instrumental - organ tune AURELIA

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

1 Saint Luke, beloved physician, with honour now recall ...

2 He tells for us the stories of Jesus here on earth ...

3 For all who work our healing we lift our hearts in prayer,