Come to the Waters (As earth that is dry and parched in the sun)

This is a folk-style hymn of invitation. It is directly based on Isaiah 55.

It was written by English Roman Catholic teacher Anne Conway, b 1940 (who was at one time an Ursuline religious sister known as Sister Jude). The song was first published in Hymns Old and New 1984 by Kevin Mayhew Ltd (England), and is included in later editions of Catholic Hymns Old and New, up to and including the 2009 edition. This book is the only known source of sheet music for the hymn.

It is set to an unnamed tune, also by Conway. This has a 4/4 time signature. In the key of Em, the first few notes of the melody are B, E GA G E F AG A with accompanying chords Em / Am.

CC0 NPS photo adapt.

Downloads

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No downloadable versions have been found, of either performances or the sheet music. If you know where to find one, please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Examples

Small group with keyboard, record live in a church service:

Cantor (and congregation?) with organ - live in a church service:

Small group with electronic organ:

Lyrics

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

1 As earth that is dry and parched in the sun
Lies waiting for rain,
My soul is a desert, arid and waste;
It longs for your word, O Lord.

Chorus:
Come to the waters, all you who thirst,
Come, now, and eat my bread.

2 Though you have no money, come, buy my corn
and drink my red wine.
Why spend precious gold on what will not last?
Hear me, and your soul will live.

3 As one on a journey strays from the road
and falls in the dark,
my mind is a wanderer, choosing wrong paths
and longing to find a star.

4 The Lord is your light, the Lord is your strength;
Turn back to him now.
For his ways are not the ways you would choose,
And his thoughts are always new.

5 As rain from the mountains falls on the land
and brings forth the seed,
the word of the Lord sinks deep in our hearts,
creating the flower of truth.