Bread of Heaven, On Thee We Feed

This beloved communion hymn by English hymn writer Josiah Conder emphasizes the sustenance Christ provides. In the first stanza, the imagery of Christ as the “living bread” expresses spiritual nourishment and daily dependence on Him. The lines “Bread of heaven, on thee we feed, for thy flesh is meat indeed; ever may our souls be fed with this true and living bread; day by day with strength supplied through the life of him who died” draw directly on Christ’s teachings in John 6.

The second stanza continues the Eucharistic theme: “Vine of heaven, thy blood supplies this blest cup of sacrifice; Lord, thy wounds our healing give; to thy cross we look and live: Jesus, may we ever be grafted, rooted, built in thee.” This emphasizes the connection between communion and the believer’s growth and healing in Christ.

The hymn remains one of Conder’s most popular works and has been widely used in communion services, appearing in hundreds of hymnals across denominations. Its poetic simplicity, paired with profound scriptural truth, continues to offer comfort and spiritual nourishment to worshippers.