Rest
Jason Gray (Holiday) Lyrics

I found them standing in my door
There were poor people waiting at Jason's door, standing in silence.

In the clumsy silence of the poor
The poor were silent but their presence made the atmosphere awkward.

I've got no time for precious things
Jason is too busy to appreciate or focus on things that are important but non-urgent.

But at least they won't be wandering
At least the poor people won't be out in the cold and lost because they have a place to sleep.

If they're sleeping on my stable floor
They will be sleeping on a humble place, the stable floor.

There were no rooms to rent tonight
All rooms were taken already.

The only empty bed is mine
Jason's own bed is the only available one.

‘Cause I'm overbooked and overrun
Because he is overbooked with commitments and overrun with responsibilities.

With so many things that must be done
There are many tasks that require his attention.

Until I'm numb and running blind
He is so preoccupied and overworked that he has lost his sense of direction and purpose.

I need rest, I need rest
Jason recognizes his need for rest and repeats it for emphasis.

Lost inside a forest of a million trees
He feels lost in a mass of details and obligations.

Trying to find my way back to me
He wants to reconnect with himself and his values.

As a boy I heard the old men sing
In his childhood, he heard elders sing religious songs.

About a Kingdom and a coming King
The songs spoke of a spiritual kingdom and a promised savior.

But keeping books and changing beds
His adult life involves mundane tasks like bookkeeping and housekeeping.

Put a different song inside my head
His occupation has shifted his focus and priorities, influencing his worldview.

And the melody is deafening
The work song is so loud and overpowering that it mutes the spiritual song of his youth.

Like a drowning man in the open sea
He feels overwhelmed and helpless, as if drowning in a vast, uncharted territory.

I need somebody to rescue me
He needs help to get out of his predicament.

To Rome we're only names and numbers
In a big city, people become anonymous and insignificant.

Not souls in search of signs and wonders
They are not seen as spiritual beings in search of miracles and answers to life's questions.

But we're waiting for the day of our salvation
Regardless of how they are seen, they are still waiting for salvation, for the day when they will be freed from their struggles.

The Messiah who will be our liberation
They hope for a savior to set them free from their burdens.

We're waiting, I'm waiting
Again, Jason highlights the theme of waiting and his personal longing for deliverance.

Oh come oh come Emmanuel
The song invokes an ancient prayer and longing for the savior to come and save his people.

With a sword deliver Israel
The imagery of a sword suggests a battle and liberation from oppression and injustice.

Tonight I can't get any sleep
Jason is restless, probably because of his stress and worries.

With those shepherds shouting in the streets
The noise from outside disrupts his peace and quiet.

A star is shining much too bright
The star represents a message or a sign that he cannot ignore or dismiss.

Somewhere I hear a baby cry
The sound of a baby crying is a reminder of a new birth or a new beginning.

And all I want is a little peace
Amidst the chaos and the noise, Jason yearns for tranquility and restfulness.