Let Nothing Disturb You

Garth tells the background to the song:

“‘Let Nothing Disturb You’ was inspired by some words of Teresa of Avila, also known as St Teresa of Jesus (1515 – 1582). She was a Prioress and Carmelite nun, a central figure in a movement of spiritual and monastic renewal.

And she wrote these words as a poem, translated here:

All things are passing

God alone never changes

Patience gains all things

If you have God

You will want for nothing

God alone suffices

These words were taken by musicians at Taizé and turned into a short four line song – suitable for times of worship, and the song is repeated again and again. Taizé music is beautiful and very suitable for Lent. I heard the Taizé song from friend and guitarist Dave Perry who played it to a group of us one evening – Dave was the guitarist on my new album My Name Is Palestine, which includes this song.

I liked this chorus, and thought that for a song on an album it needed a bit more progression so I wrote three other verses and then a chorus section. The words are picking up on the original theme of Teresa and also Taizé, where again the song is normally sung in Spanish so I end the song with the Spanish words “Nada te turbé”.

My assistant Isobel makes video clips to go with some of my songs – as Isobel was thinking of the words, she also thought of the Bible verses in Matthew 6:25-31 and that influenced the sequence of birds and flowers in the song.

I had recently had an encounter with two Goldfinches!

As I came out of my house they came over to the wall right next to where I was, almost to encourage or greet me. And strangely, in the midst of this difficult and challenging time it was a moment of encounter – very brief but it left me encouraged.

It’s good if we can spot little moments of inspiration in these worrying times.

Looking at the words in Matthew 10:30 where it talks about the hairs of our heads being numbered, it reminded me of the chorus of a song I wrote many years ago called ‘Thirty-two Years’:

The hairs on your head are all numbered tonight

The Father still loves you and though things don’t seem right

You are not forgotten, don’t give up too soon

You think it’s the evening when in fact it’s still noon… it’s still noon”

Lyrics:

Let nothing disturb you,

Let nothing frighten

Everything passes,

But God Remains

God stays beside you

God your companion

Closer than breathing

God still remains

chorus:

God remains – God still remains

Light in the darkness

Voice of the voiceless

God still remains

God remains – God still remains

Bringer of justice

Friend to the outcast

God still remains – God remains

God of mercy

God of peace

God of love

And love still remains

God of hope

God of grace

God of love

And love still remains

chorus:

God remains – God still remains

Light in the darkness

Voice of the voiceless

God still remains

God remains – God still remains

Bringer of justice

Friend to the outcast

God still remains –God remains

Let nothing disturb you,

Let nothing frighten

Everything passes,

But God remains

Nada te turbe,

Nada te espante

Solo Dios basta