(I will give you) Living Water - Andersen

An oasis in Libya with a mirroring lake: Chorus: I will give you living water. Shade to rest under; strength to your heart. Grow deep within me…filled by my spirit; My burdens are easy; my life it is yours. 1 We have been with the lonely. To the hungry we’ve given your bread. We now come with all our hopes and dreams To rest awhile with you. 2 To the empty we’ve carried Your word of hope and of life. Build us now beyond our hopes and dreams, ‘Til we live in you.

This light country-and-western style hymn about God as the source of rest and consolation was written by Australian Roman Catholic priest and liturgist Fr Frank Andersen MSC.

It was originally published in the Eagles Wings collection, and so is now included in Scripture in Song - The Music of Frank Andersen MSC, which is still available. Both of these publications include lead-sheet style sheet music.

Unlike most of Anderson's songs, it is not based on any specific piece of scripture. Instead it combines various scriptural references with images of things which people from a hot climate find refreshing (water, shade), suggesting it may have been written for missionaries on retreat or sabbatical.

The unnamed tune was written by Fr Andersen: it has a 3/4 time signature, and in the key of C the first few notes are C CD EG G_ A_ A G GE, with accompanying chords C / F / C.

Downloads

Examples

Original recording - lead singer and choir with guitar and band:

Original recording - lead singer and choir with guitar and band, with background pictures and lyrics:

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

Chorus: I will give you living water.
Shade to rest under; strength to your heart.
Grow deep within me…filled by my spirit;
My burdens are easy; my life it is yours.

1 We have been with the lonely ...

2 To the empty we’ve carried ..