Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Lyrics

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Come, Thou Fount lyrics

Stanza 1
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Stanza 2
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

Stanza 3
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

About Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

  • Author / Lyricist: Robert Robinson (1735–1790)
  • Composer / Tune: NETTLETON (Attributed to John Wyeth in Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, 1813)
  • Date Written: 1758
  • First Publication: A Collection of Hymns used by the Church of Christ in Angel-Alley, Bishopsgate (1759); George Whitefield’s Collection of Hymns for Social Worship (1760)
  • Meter: 8.7.8.7 D

History of Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Robert Robinson had a difficult youth in London, becoming involved with rowdy companions. In 1752, at age seventeen, he went to hear evangelist George Whitefield preach with the intention of mocking the service. Instead, Whitefield’s message on Matthew 3:7 deeply convicted him, leading to his conversion to Christ three years later in December 1755.

Robinson entered the ministry and wrote the text of Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing in 1758 at age twenty-two for his congregation’s Pentecost services. Robinson later served as a respected Baptist pastor in Cambridge.

The text was published in several early English collections before crossing the Atlantic. In 1813, printer John Wyeth paired Robinson’s words with the American folk melody NETTLETON in Pennsylvania, establishing the lively, enduring musical pairing sung across church traditions today.

Meaning of Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

The hymn contains several rich biblical pictures that reward closer reflection:

  • Stanza 1: Recognizes God as the fountain of every good gift (James 1:17) and asks Him to “tune” the singer’s heart so that praise matches the continuous streams of divine mercy.
  • Stanza 2 & The “Ebenezer”: The phrase “Here I raise my Ebenezer” refers to 1 Samuel 7:12, where Samuel placed a memorial stone named Ebenezer (“Stone of Help”) saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” Raising an Ebenezer means remembering God’s past faithfulness. The verse also recalls Jesus as the Good Shepherd seeking the lost sheep (Luke 15:4–7).
  • Stanza 3: Candidly confesses our human weakness: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” It asks God’s love to act like a gentle restraint, sealing the believer’s heart for heaven (Ephesians 1:13–14).

The Christian Message Behind the Hymn

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing emphasizes that salvation and spiritual perseverance depend entirely on God’s grace.

It reminds us that Jesus actively pursues us when we are lost, reconciles us through His sacrifice, and keeps us secure when our own strength falters.

Why Christians Still Sing This Hymn

Believers love this hymn because it expresses genuine gratitude while remaining humble and self-aware. It teaches us to remember how God has helped us in the past and gives us confidence for the journey ahead.

Related Christian Songs

  • Amazing Grace (John Newton)
  • Jesus Paid It All (Elvina M. Hall)
  • When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Isaac Watts)

Conclusion

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing is a prayer of thanksgiving and dedication. It encourages us to look back at God’s faithfulness, acknowledge our daily need for His grace, and entrust our hearts completely into His keeping.

Research & Verification

  • Lyric Source: A Collection of Hymns used by the Church of Christ in Angel-Alley, Bishopsgate, London, 1759; George Whitefield’s Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, 1760. Verified via Hymnary.org.
  • Author / History Source: Robert Robinson (1735–1790); A Memoir of the Life and Writings of Robert Robinson (George Dyer, 1796).
  • Tune / Composer Source: NETTLETON (Attributed to John Wyeth, 1770–1858, in Repository of Sacred Music, Part Second, 1813).
  • Public-Domain Basis: Text written in 1758 and tune published in 1813, well prior to 1929; author and composer died more than 70 years ago. Public domain in the United States and jurisdictions observing life-plus-70 rules.
  • Copyright Limitations: Modern recorded performances, proprietary chord arrangements, and newly arranged choral versions remain protected under intellectual property law.

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