In 1906, Vaughan Williams, then a composer of promise who would shortly enjoy his first success with the premiere of his choral work Toward the Unknown Region (October 10, 1907), completed the two-year task, with the aid of the Rev. Percy Dearmer, of editing the English Hymnal. Having a penchant for church music, despite his rejection of Christian teachings, he arranged many of its hymns and wrote original tunes for several, including No. 524, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" and this one, No. 152, "Come Down, O Love Divine."

The text comes from Bianco da Siena (?—1434) in an 1867 translation by Richard Frederick Littledale. The hymn begins "Come down, O love divine/seek thou this soul of mine." Vaughan Williams provided a melody rich in religious spirit, moving from unison singing of somewhat austere character in the first verse to the warmly-harmonized, quasi-Romantic manner of the second verse ("O let it burn freely..."). The composer's melody is attractive, if somewhat derivative, divulging much of the style of the Anglican Church hymns from centuries past. Still, this is a fine setting that will appeal to those with an interest in choral music and religious hymns. Vaughan Williams dubbed the tune he used for this hymn Down Ampney, after the name of the village of his birthplace.

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