God's Peace | Come Away from Rush and Hurry

This is a hymn of gathering or invitation to come and experience God's peace. The words borrow from ideas in Psalm 23 (The Lord's my shepherd).

It was written by American Lutheran theologian, author, musician, preacher, and educator, Marva J. Dawn (1948-2021), and first published in 1999 in her book A "Royal" Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World, WM. B. Eerdmans, Michigan, USA.

With meter 8.7.8.7 D, tunes it has been set to include:

• NETTLETON  composer unknown, from Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, Harrisburg, 1813; sometimes attributed to early 19th century evangelist Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844).
• CIVILITY by American composer Gregg DeMey (b. 1972)
• BEACH SPRING - published in the 1844 Sacred Harp book, and is sometimes attributed to its editor, B. F. White
• PROMISE by by American Methodist organist and composer, Natalie Allyn Sleeth, née Wakeley (1930 –1992).

Adapt from an image  © wwwGodSongs.net, 2021

Downloads

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SATB choir setting, based on BEACH SPRING

Buy sheet music from Celebrating Grace

Examples

Singer with bluegrass band, professional recording, tune NETTLETON

Choir with piano, professional record, tune BEACH SPRING

Singer with guitar, tune NETTLETON

Choir with organ, tune PROMISE

Singer with piano, tune PROMISE

Lyrics

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

Come away from rush and hurry, To the stillness of God's peace
.... Here to seek and find God's face.

In the pastures of God's goodness we lie down to rest our soul.
.... Into service we are led.

Come, then, children, with your burdens, life's confusions, fears and pain.
... When to self we gladly die.

See more ...

• Hymns about peace
• Gathering hymns

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY Come away from rush and hurry
To the stillness of God's peace
From our vain ambition's worry
Come to Christ to find release
Come away from noise and clamor
Life's demands and frenzied pace
Come to join the people gathered
Here to seek and find God's face.

In the pastures of God's goodness
We lie down to rest our soul.
From the waters of God's mercy
We drink deeply, are made whole.
At the table of God's presence
All the saints are richly fed.
With the oil of God's anointing
Into service we are led.

Come, then, children, with your burdens⁠—
Life's confusions, fears and pain.
Leave them at the cross of Jesus;
Take instead his kingdom's reign.
Bring your thirsts, for he will quench them⁠—
He alone will satisfy.
All our longings find attainment
When to self we gladly die.