‘Come to me,’ says Jesus

‘Come to me,’ says Jesus. Alan Gaunt* (1935-2023).  This hymn comes from Alan Gaunt’s second book of hymns, Always from Joy (1997). A note (p. 71) gives the date of composition as 17 February 1996. It has five short stanzas in the metre 6.5.6.5. It begins with a general invitation based on Matthew 11: 28-30: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ These verses are paraphrased with a moving simplicity in the first two stanzas. The remainder of the hymn is a beautiful paraphrase of the Gracious...