Text:Peace, Perfect Peace
Author:Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr.
Tune:PAX TECUM
Composer:George Caldbeck
Composer:Charles Vincent
Media:MIDI file

5579. Peace, Perfect Peace

1. Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.

2. Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.

3. Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found.

4. Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus’ keeping we are safe, and they.

5. Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.

6. Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.

7. It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus call us to Heaven’s perfect peace.

Text Information
First Line: Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
Title: Peace, Perfect Peace
Author: Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr. (1875)
Meter: 10.1
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
Notes: Bickersteth was vacationing in Harrogate, England, where he heard a sermon on Isaiah 26:3 by Canon Gibbon. The minister related that the Hebrew text used the word peace twice to indicate absolute perfection. The idea was still on Bickersteth's mind when he visited a dying relative that afternoon. To soothe the man's emotional turmoil, Bickersteth opened his Bible to read from Isaiah 26:3. He wrote down these lyrics, just as they appear today, and read them to the man: perhaps the last thing he heard before Jesus called him to Heaven's perfect peace. After one of Bick­er­steth’s sis­ters point­ed out that there is no­thing spe­ci­fic in the hymn about phy­si­cal suf­fer­ing. "That is soon rem­e­died," he re­plied. He took up an en­ve­lope and wrote the fol­low­ing verse (ap­par­ent­ly ne­ver pub­lished) on the back… 'Peace, perfect peace, ’mid suffering’s sharpest throes? The sympathy of Jesus breathes repose.'
Tune Information
Name: PAX TECUM
Composer: George Caldbeck (1876)
Composer: Charles Vincent (1876)
Meter: 10.1
Incipit: 55555 66655 51232
Key: C Major
Copyright: Public Domain



Media
Adobe Acrobat image: Adobe Acrobat image
(Cyber Hymnal)
MIDI file: MIDI File
(Cyber Hymnal)
Noteworthy Composer score: Noteworthy Composer score
(Cyber Hymnal)
XML score: XML score
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