This is a setting of Horatius Bonar‘s venerable text using THE MOREEN a traditional Irish tune. It has been added to OCP’s Breaking Bread for 2026.
Growing up a Presbyterian I sang a lot of this Scotsman’s words but not to nice Irish tunes and that makes a difference. I must admit he struck me as the William McGonagall of hymns that went on forever with dreary tunes – in my defence I was a dreadful child.
OCP has stuck with some archaic language (eg “thy”) but has an uplifting arrangement by Paul A. Tate and Justin Wedgewood, which you can purchase at OCP.
Hymnary notes 104 tunes that have been used for this text including KINGSFOLD.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was, weary, worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold I freely give
The living water; thirsty one, stoop down and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;”
Look unto Me, your morn shall rise, and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my star, my sun;
And in that Light of life I’ll walk till traveling days are done.