Oh, the Peace My Saviour Gives

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

Once I thought I walked with Jesus,
Yet such changeful feelings had:
Sometimes trusting, sometimes doubting,
Sometimes joyful, sometimes sad.

CHORUS:
Oh, the peace my Saviour gives –
Peace I never knew before!
And my way has brighter grown
Since I learned to trust Him more.

But He called me closer to Him,
Bade my doubts and fears all cease,
And when I had fully yielded,
Filled my soul with perfect peace.

Now I’m trusting every moment –
Nothing less can be enough,
And my Saviour bears me gently
O’er the places once so rough.

Many of us recently celebrated Remembrance Day, including prayers, hopes and wishes for peace in the world. Here is a song about personal, inward peace – the kind that comes only from fully trusting the Lord and surrendering our lives to Him. Such surrender of our wills can be difficult, stubborn as we humans can be, and liking to be in control.

Francis Augustus Blackmer lived from 1855 to 1930, spending most of his life in Massachusetts, USA. His family belonged to the Adventist Church, and Francis was baptised in one of their camp meetings in Springfield, Massachusetts. He received his education at Wilbraham Academy, but in his music learning was mainly self-taught. He wrote his first song at age 16, and later wrote over 300 songs and compiled several Gospel song books. Francis was a church choirmaster, song leader and elder, and led the singing each summer from 1914 to 1930 in camp meetings at Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire. At home in Somerville, he ran a piano business. Wouldn’t it be satisfying to know what personal experiences led him to express the thoughts in this ‘peace song’?