Woke up with the first line in my mind and searched for the lyrics. Grateful for the full hymn and the grand reminder that our Lord desires to speak to us in our waiting on him. Thank you.
It's moving how she references every sense in expressing her communion with God: hearing his voice, seeing his face, feeling his touch, tasting the bread of life, then the scent of the well-watered garden of her life...
This morning on my 83rd Birthday I’m impressed with the phrase “lingering in Thy presence”. When we linger - stay just a little bit longer - He always comes to us in His still, small voice like He did to Samuel the young boy who became the greatest prophet that ever lived. I do NOT aim to be a prophet like Samuel, but I desire to hear the voice of God like he did. All I really desire is to be a lover of God who daily lingers in His presence. His Word is so life-giving!!!
We still sing this beautiful thought provoking hymn in our church but to a different tune (Quiet Hour by Alfred B Smith), which is a very simple but contemplative melody. Can be found in a few hymnals, including Great Hymns of the Faith.
Thank you for allowing my comment of yesterday. I have since read some of the other comments and I can say to each of them “Amen! ”
I too have known this hymn since childhood. Somehow yesterday morning the phrase “In the stillness, while I wait on Thee” came to mind (I couldn’t remember the first two words! ) Putting those words into a search box very soon brought up this whole lovely hymn. I’m truly grateful for such a resource! It is a pity that, no, we don’t seem to sing this hymn much now, if at all.
I read this hymn through and was much blessed. But at the verse above I paused: was I REALLY yielded? Was ALL yielded? Did I really know the bliss of full surrender?
I had to be honest with God and myself. The answer had to be no. An excuse sprang to my lips: ‘Can I EVER be certain of being fully surrendered, this side of eternity? ’ Seemed like a ‘cop-out, ’ however.
Yet the Saviour did say “Come unto Me and rest. ” If it’s not possible to know this bliss in this life... well! So the answer lies with me to respond in love to Him.
The words of this hymn are like a cool breeze over my weary soul. God is there in the stillness if we will go listening rather than speaking. What refreshment! Thank you for putting these verses up to remind us. How soon we forget.