I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say - Traditional

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
'Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.'
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and 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, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy 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.

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say lyrics were written by Horatius Bonar and follow a narrative of a weary soul finding the living water of the Gospel. The song moves from the weariness of the world to the light and life found in Jesus. It features a beautiful structure that mirrors the internal peace that comes from hearing the Saviors call Come unto Me and rest. By singing these lyrics the congregation shares in the testimony of a life transformed by the presence of Christ finding in Him a refuge from the darkness and a fountain of eternal joy for the thirsty soul.