Hymn Story: Breathe on Me, Breath of God

Breathe on Me, Breath of God was written by Edwin Hatch.

Hatch was an English theologian born in Derby, England on September 4, 1835.

He eventually became Bishop of Manchester and noted for his strong mental independence and extreme study habits. By the 1880s, he was a well-known lecturer.

Hatch published the song privately in 1878 in a pamphlet titled “Between Doubt and Prayer. The hymn was publicly published in 1886.

The hymn has been set to a number of tunes but the most popular tunes are John Chetham and S.S. Wesley’s 1718 “Aylesbury” and blind London organist Charles Lockhart’s “Carlisle”.

Hatch died on November 10, 1889 in Oxford, England.

The hymn is a prayer and reminder of the life the Lord provides for us. Think about God forming man from dust {Genesis 2:7} and Jesus breathed on his disciples telling them to receive the Holy Spirit {John 20:22}.