Hymn of the Week: March 28, 2025

Ho, All Who Thirst 
Glory to God: 479 

TEXT and MUSIC: Alexander M. Peters, 1997 

Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And all whose souls are parched and weary, come drink! 
Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And from your heart will flow a neverfailing spring! 

Why forsake the Lord, the fount of living water, 
Choosing broken cups that cannot be filled? 

Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And all whose souls are parched and weary, come drink! 
Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And from your heart will flow a neverfailing spring! 

For the Lamb will be our shepherd and will guide us 
To the well-springs of the water of life. 

Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And all whose souls are parched and weary, come drink! 
Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And from your heart will flow a neverfailing spring!  

All who come may take this gift of living water. 
They will thirst no more, for they shall be filled. 

Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And all whose souls are parched and weary, come drink! 
Ho, all who thirst, come now to the water, 
And from your heart will flow a neverfailing spring!  

Rev. Bubar has introduced a couple of lovely hymns to us in the two months he’s been at First Pres. This particular hymn that we sang last week is particularly melodic. Take time to look at the text and see how the author and composer took the Isaiah text that he based the hymn on and turned it into such a meaningful hymn. Here is the Isaiah text from Isaiah 55:1-5 from the NRSV version. 

Ho, everyone who thirsts, 
come to the waters; 
and you that have no money, 
come, buy and eat! 
Come, buy wine and milk 
without money and without price. 

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, 
and your labor for that which does not satisfy? 
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, 
and delight yourselves in rich food. 

Incline your ear, and come to me; 
listen, so that you may live. 
I will make with you an everlasting covenant, 
my steadfast, sure love for David. 

See, I made him a witness to the peoples, 
a leader and commander for the peoples. 

See, you shall call nations that you do not know, 
and nations that do not know you shall run to you, 
because of the Lord , your God, the Holy One of Israel, 
for he has glorified you. 

Mr. Peterson took the first verse of the Isaiah scripture and created a stirring refrain while borrowing scripture from the Gospel of John to talk about Christ as Living Water. 

 Enjoy the video!