A Hymn for Peace

LEONI 6.6.8.4 ("The God of Abraham Praise")

"A Hymn for Peace" is dedicated to the memory of Shaul Lahav, grandson of Helen and Paul Loeb, who was killed on November 18, 2003, on the road between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Another son is killed,
Another daughter dies,
And loving, waiting homes are filled
With loved ones' cries.
As rivers never sleep,
So wars flow on and on.
Hang up your harps, sit down and weep
For those now gone!

We grieve for children lost,
For hearts too sad to pray;
We mourn, O Lord, the growing cost
Of hatred's way.
And sure as threats increase
And anger turns to war,
We pray that we may find a peace
Worth struggling for.

We know your way, O Lord,
For all your people here:
A plowshare from a fighting sword,
A transformed spear!
Now comfort those who grieve,
Be in each saddened home,
And by your grace may we believe--
And seek Shalom.

Psalm 137:1-2 and Isaiah 2:4
Tune: Hebrew melody adaptation by Thomas Olivers and Meyer Lyon, 1770.
Text: © 2003 Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette gives free one-time use of this hymn to congregations that support Church World Service.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette is the co-pastor of the Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware and author of Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship is a collection of 45 new hymns published by Geneva Press. A complete list of her hymns can be found at http://firstpresby.org/hymnlist.htm .
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