"Grant me, O most loving Lord,
to rest in Thee
above all creatures,
above all health and beauty,
above all glory and honor,
above all power and dignity,
above all knowledge and subtilty,
above all riches and art,
above all fame and praise,
above all sweetness and comfort,
above all hope and promise,
above all gifts and favors
that Thou canst give and impart to us,
above all jubilee
that the mind of man can receive and feel;
above all angels and archangels,
and above all the heavenly host,
above all things visible and invisible,
and above all that Thou art not, O my God.
It is too small and unsatisfying,
whatsoever Thou bestowest on me
apart from Thee,
or revealest to me, or promisest,
whilst Thou art not seen,
and not fully obtained.
For surely my heart cannot truly rest,
nor be entirely contented,
unless it rest in Thee.
- Amen."
This beautiful prayer, originating from Thomas à Kempis’s The Imitation of Christ (Book III, Chapter 21), is included in Mary Wilder Tileston’s devotional anthology, Great Souls at Prayer: Fourteen Centuries of Prayer, Praise, and Aspiration. Adapted by Tileston, the prayer is presented in a poetic and concise form to inspire readers in their daily spiritual practice.
Chapter 21 of Book III of The Imitation of Christ, titled "That We Must Rest in God Above All Goods and Gifts", is a meditation on the soul's ultimate longing to rest entirely in God. Written by Thomas à Kempis, a 15th-century German-Dutch canon and mystic, this chapter reflects his deep commitment to interior devotion and the renunciation of worldly attachments.
Thomas à Kempis emphasizes that all created things-no matter how beautiful, powerful, or comforting-are insufficient without the presence of God. The soul, he argues, cannot find true peace or contentment in anything less than complete union with the Creator. This chapter is a striking example of à Kempis's mystical theology, rooted in the Christian tradition of humility, self-denial, and wholehearted trust in God’s sufficiency.
Throughout the text, à Kempis contrasts the fleeting satisfaction of earthly gifts with the eternal joy found in resting in God alone. Even the greatest blessings, he explains, pale in comparison to the joy of beholding and fully possessing the Divine. The chapter culminates in an intimate dialogue between the soul and Christ, expressing the soul's longing and its prayer for liberation from earthly distractions.
This chapter invites readers to a deeper spiritual life, challenging them to rise above the transitory pleasures and treasures of life to seek the eternal. It is both a call to devotion and a reminder that the human heart, created in God's image, can find true rest only in Him. Through its simplicity and intensity, this chapter has resonated with countless readers over the centuries, offering timeless guidance for those who seek to center their lives on God.
Great Souls at Prayer, first published in 1898, is a remarkable compilation that spans over fourteen centuries of Christian devotional writings. Tileston carefully selected and arranged prayers, meditations, and praises from a wide range of sources, both ancient and modern, to create a harmonious blend of timeless spirituality. The book includes contributions from renowned figures such as St. Augustine, St. Anselm, Thomas à Kempis, Christina Rossetti, and Robert Louis Stevenson, reflecting the enduring spirit of prayer through the ages.
Tileston’s aim was to nourish the spiritual lives of her readers by distilling the essence of heartfelt devotional texts into a daily format. While she sometimes abridged or slightly adapted these prayers to fit the context, she did so with a reverence for their original meaning and intent. Her work continues to inspire as a treasure trove of wisdom and a bridge between the devotional practices of the past and the spiritual seekers of today.
This prayer, like others in the book, reminds us that true rest and fulfillment can only be found in God, above all earthly and heavenly gifts. It invites us to center our lives on the eternal, embracing a timeless devotion that transcends the fleeting and visible.
Our ethereal wave/doom jazz adaptation of the prayer seeks to capture the mystical yearning and introspective depth of his words through an evocative musical landscape. Ethereal synths and haunting melodies create an atmosphere of divine transcendence, while dark ambient textures evoke the soul’s struggle to rise above earthly distractions. The doom jazz elements, with their brooding basslines and melancholic brass, bring a somber intimacy to the piece, mirroring the profound humility and longing of the original text. This unique fusion of styles transforms the chapter’s timeless message into a meditative auditory experience, immersing the listener in the contemplative journey toward resting entirely in God.