87 Comfort, Comfort Now My People
“Comfort, comfort now my people; tell of peace!” So says our God.
“Comfort those who sit in darkness mourning under sorrow’s load.
To my people now proclaim that my pardon waits for them!
Tell them that their sins I cover, and their warfare now is over.”
For the herald’s voice is crying in the desert far and near,
Calling us to true repentance, since the reign of God is here.
O, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way.
Let the valleys rise in meeting and the hills bow down in greeting.
Straight shall be what long was crooked, and the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits God’s holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord now on earth is shed abroad,
And all flesh shall see the token that God’s word is never broken.
Devotion
In community, especially in Christian community and family, we make a point again and again of keeping watch over one another, of noticing when someone in our flock is downtrodden or in despair, and then reaching out, offering care, comfort, and a listening ear. “Comfort those who sit in darkness” this hymn proclaims.
God does not say “don’t worry about it, I’ll do the comforting, you just focus on yourself.” Rather, the first verse of this hymn includes an invitation, an encouragement from God for people to take the time to proclaim God’s peace to one another, to proclaim forgiveness and offer comfort to those who are in darkness.
This season of Advent can be especially difficult for those who have faced loss and change and are reminded of memories from years past, for those feeling the weight of isolation and loneliness. In this period of great waiting, our deepest despairs can often feel painfully close to the surface. “Comfort, comfort now my people,” God says. In this season, may we take special care to keep watch over one another, to notice and to reach out as days grow dark and cold, to offer a reminder of God’s pardon, God’s peace, and God’s boundless comfort.
God does not say “don’t worry about it, I’ll do the comforting, you just focus on yourself.” Rather, the first verse of this hymn includes an invitation, an encouragement from God for people to take the time to proclaim God’s peace to one another, to proclaim forgiveness and offer comfort to those who are in darkness.
This season of Advent can be especially difficult for those who have faced loss and change and are reminded of memories from years past, for those feeling the weight of isolation and loneliness. In this period of great waiting, our deepest despairs can often feel painfully close to the surface. “Comfort, comfort now my people,” God says. In this season, may we take special care to keep watch over one another, to notice and to reach out as days grow dark and cold, to offer a reminder of God’s pardon, God’s peace, and God’s boundless comfort.