There is A River

The Gaither Vocal Band's “There Is A River” compares grace to water that never stops. The first verse sets the picture, a river that “flows from deep within” and “a fountain that frees the soul from sin,” with the invitation “Come to this water, there is a vast supply.” The line that follows, “There is a river that never shall run dry,” is the claim the rest of the song supports.

The second verse tells the story behind it. A thirsty woman is “drawing from the well,” her life “ruined and wasted,” when she meets the Master, who “told her of her sin.” The quoted promise is the heart of the narrative: “If you drink this water, you'll never thirst again.” The song then returns to the invitation and adds what the water does, “Lose all your guilty stains.” The story is told in a few plain lines, with the harmonies carrying most of the feeling.

The woman at the well is the Samaritan woman of John 4, and the quoted promise is John 4:14. The river flowing from within recalls John 7:38, and the open call to the thirsty is Isaiah 55:1.