“Come unto Me, you weary,
And I will give you rest.”*
O blessèd voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of consolation,
Of pardon, grace and peace,
Of joy that has no ending,
Of love which cannot cease.
"Come unto me, you wanderers,
And I will give your light."
O loving voice of Jesus,
Which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts were filled with sadness,
When we had lost our way;
But He has brought us gladness
And songs at break of day.
"And anyone who comes forth,
I will not cast him out."
O patient love of Jesus,
Which drives away our doubt,
Which, though we be unworthy
Of love so great and free,
Invites us very sinners
To come as we may be!
--William C. Dix, ~1867; adapted c.m.b., 2014
Dix wrote of this hymn:
I was ill and depressed at the time, and it was almost to idle away the hours that I wrote the hymn. I had been ill for many weeks and felt weary and faint, and the hymn really expresses the languidness of body from which I was suffering at the time. Soon after its composition I recovered, and I always look back to that hymn as the turning point in my illness.
*"[Jesus said]' 'Come unto Me, all you who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.'" (Matthew 11:28-30)
.jpg "Cornucopia")
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