Come unto Me, Ye Weary
“Come unto Me, ye weary,
And I will give you rest.”
O blessèd voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of benediction,
Of pardon, grace, and peace,
Of joy that hath no ending,
Of love that cannot cease.
“Come unto Me, ye wand’rers,
And I will give you light.”
O loving voice of Jesus,
Which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts were filled with sadness,
And we had lost our way;
But Thou hast brought us gladness
And songs at break of day.
“Come unto Me, ye fainting,
And I will give you life.”
O cheering voice of Jesus,
Which comes to aid our strife!
The foe is stern and eager,
The fight is fierce and long;
But Thou hast made us mighty
And stronger than the strong.
“And whosoever cometh,
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, dear Lord, to Thee!
William C. Dix, Public domain, Lutheran Service Book 684
William C. Dix lived in England during the 1800’s. His occupation was a manager of an insurance company. His avocation was writer of hymns and carols. Out of the 26 hymns he wrote, in addition to “Come unto Me Ye Weary,” our hymnal contains three more of his hymns: Alleluia, Sing to Jesus – 821; As with Gladness Men of Old – 397; and What Child is This – 370.
When he was 29 years old he suffered a near fatal illness and suffered for many months confined to his bed. You can imagine how depressed he may have felt at this time and the comfort that his faith brought to him. He wrote many of his hymns during this time. Re-read “Come unto Me Ye Wear” again thinking about this young man, his illness and his faith.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the rest that you grant to my soul. Grant me this comfort especially when I am sad, lonely or in distress. Amen.
Paradise
Jan Brueghel the Elder 1568 – 1625
oil on copper (45 × 59 cm) — c. 1615
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Pastor Philip Quardokus
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